Yet Another Scary Thought
by The Altered Destinies
Summary: Well, we have Kasumi, and we have Nabiki. You had to know this was coming.
1. Chapter 1

Standard "I'm too poor to sue." disclaimers apply.  
Warning: Adult language.

Yet Another Scary Thought.  
Prolog: Homecoming

The ground shook in a steady rhythm. At first, the people thought it was thunder left over from the morning downpour. Though there were still standing puddles of water, the sun was out. That was when they heard the shouting.  
"You can forget it, Old Man." the voice of a very angry youth came from the distance. "We are going home and that's final. So you can quit your struggling and your whining and your pathetic begging because this trip is OVER!"  
From around the corner stepped the youth, not overly tall, but ruggedly good-looking, and very strong. Each step he took shook the ground as pedestrians clamored out of his path. It wasn't that the boy was overly muscular, which he almost was, or overly large, which he wasn't. What made the ground shake so was the burden he carried across his broad shoulders in the form of a giant panda. Easily 5 times as large as the boy, the panda was curled into a ball, crying and rubbing his hands together in fervent prayer.  
The boy thundered on, uncaring and didn't look close to slowing down even as children started running around his legs, shouting.  
"Kentaro. Look, it's Kentaro, just like my picture books."  
"Kentaro never had a panda."  
"Maybe they didn't draw the pictures right."  
"Who cares? It's a bear, isn't it?"  
*I really wish they'd stop that.* the youth muttered to himself.

On his back porch, Soun Tendo soaked in the tranquility of his back yard. He had built his garden with a Zen-like fervor, centered around his family and extended family. It was perfect moments like this that he wished could last forever. They never did.  
Soun's meditations were interrupted by the voice of his second best friend. "Soun, postcard for you." Nodoka said, handing it to him.  
Soun looked the card over, on one side was a panda eating bamboo,  
on the other was the simple message, "I'm coming home." signed Akane.  
Soun's joy at the news died short as he looked into the face of his worried companion. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
"I don't know, but something is. Look at the card again. It's not 'WE are coming home,' just 'I'. So what happened to Genma? No mention of when they might be arriving or where they've been, just a Chinese stamp affixed to it. And look at the writing. She practically pushed the pen through the cardboard. No, something is very wrong and the worst thing is we can only wait and see."  
Soun gave a worried laugh. "Don't you think your making too much of this, Nodoka? What is it, woman's intuition, motherly doting, or insight to rival Sherlock Holmes?" he asked, trying to make a joke.  
"All of the above, dear friend." she said with a tight smile,  
letting him know it wasn't the least bit funny, and walked out toward the dojo.  
He turned his gaze to the garden thinking back to 11 years ago.

"Then it's agreed, our families will be united one day." Soun and Genma said together, their beer mugs clinking together in a solute to seal the agreement, they drained their mugs together and felt quite satisfied with themselves.  
"Ah, Soun, it will be glorious." Genma filled both mugs as he spoke. "One family at the top of the martial arts world, all thanks to us. Now that Ranma will be living here and all..."  
Soun nearly choked on his beer, "Now hold on, Genma. You can't mean for me to raise your son."  
"Well, why not? I know how much you love your daughters. If you want the perfect man for one of them, what better way to be sure of that than to raise him yourself?"  
Soun was about to argue with this, but remembered Genma's own upbringing, practically a street urchin, having no social skills;  
martial arts had become his only salvation. He also remembered just how much shear luck was involved with Nodoka's courtship and shivered.  
Nevertheless, he tried again. "Genma, my friend, I simply cannot afford another child. Kimiko's medical bills are draining us dry, it's all I can do to keep our heads out of debt." he hiccuped, the beer finally affecting him. "It's not that it isn't a good idea, it's just that it's not possible."  
Genma drained the last of his beer and poured himself another.  
"Well, how about if I take one of your girls off your hands in return?  
That way you still only have three children to worry about. But who should it be?"  
Soun put his mug down, wiped the foam from his mustache,  
thinking, "Not Kasumi. She is such a help around the house while Mother is in bed. Nabiki may be the one to consider."  
"Hmm. Don't you think that if Akane and Ranma grew up together,  
they might consider themselves brother and sister?" asked Genma in a flash of alcohol induced insight.  
"Akane and Ranma would be the preferred match, being closest in age." Soun considered as he drained his mug. "That is a good idea,  
though. If you take Akane, you can raise her to be the perfect young woman you want for your son."  
"While you raise the perfect young man for your daughter." Genma laughed.  
"It's decided!" they said together in another toast, draining their mugs again.

"Hey, Uncle Soun!"  
Startled out of his revere, Soun spun around to look for the source, but Ranma had already went past him bounding up the stairs, as he had done everyday after school. By the time Nabiki arrived from school, Ranma was already changed and out in the dojo.  
"You look worried, Daddy. What's up?"  
"I have got some good news for everyone." he said, "I think."  
"You mean you don't know?"  
"No, it is good news, but I'd rather tell everyone together."  
"Hello, Father. Hello, Nabiki." Said Kasumi coming up behind them.  
"Oh, hello, Kasumi. How was classes?"  
"Good, I have an anatomy test tomorrow, so I will be studying before I help with dinner." she said going up the stairs.  
"Hmm. Dinner is the perfect chance to tell everyone." Soun said to himself.  
"Tell us what?" Nabiki asked. She was still hovering over him,  
eager to get an early jump on the news.  
"You may be right, no use in putting it off." Soun sent Nabiki to fetch Kasumi, knowing it would annoy her, while he went out to the dojo.  
He stood in the doorway watching Ranma and his mother move through an agonizingly slow katta with their wooden swords, a perfect mirror of each other, if a mismatched pair. Ranma was in his white gi,  
while his mother in full kendo armor. When his mother insisted on teaching him to use a sword, in addition to Soun's kempo and 'anything goes' training, Ranma had somehow come to the conclusion that the armor was feminine. When he was first able to, he started fighting without armor, despite his mother's protests. "A man should make his own decisions," she'd said, "and live with the consequences." So she did not go easy on her son, the scars and bruises he'd received only served to help him learn faster until it was his mother that was hard pressed to keep up. As they finished, they turned to face each other, swords at the ready.  
"Excuse me," Soun interrupted, "could you both come inside, I have an announcement to make."  
"Of course." Nodoka put her bokken down and followed. Taking the face-guard off, she gave her son a look he couldn't read.

Everyone gathered in the living room where Kasumi was busy pouring tea for her father, Nodoka, and herself.  
After sipping the tea, Soun straightens up. "I have some good news. It seems Akane is coming back very soon."  
"Oh, that's wonderful, Father." Said Kasumi.  
"'Seems'? What's the catch?" asked the ever-cynical Nabiki.  
"Well, we don't know when, actually." He handed the postcard to Nabiki.  
As Nabiki examined the card, Nodoka pressed forward, "This is good news. Now we can begin to truly fulfill the promise to unite our families."  
"This is about the engagement, again, isn't it?" said Ranma.  
"Mom, I thought we talked about this..." Shouting and the crash of something large at the front gate cut off whatever he was going to say.  
"I'll see who it is." Nodoka said quickly, grateful for the interruption.  
When Nodoka opened the door, she wasn't sure what to expect, but the site of a blond haired, well muscled, handsome young man depositing a giant panda on the ground like it were a mere sack of rice was certainly not it. The boy turned toward her.  
"Mom?"  
Nodoka took a step back, unsure how to handle this. The boy was obviously mistaken, but he was also on the verge of tears. Handling this would take some care and...  
"MOM!"  
Nodoka was caught up in a fierce embrace. All protests died as the air was expelled from her lungs. Being crushed against a very manly chest, she couldn't get the air needed to demand an explanation.  
"Here now. What's this all about?" Soun came around the corner closely followed by Ranma.  
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?"  
The rest of the household residents came around the corner.  
Ranma was about to jump on the intruder when the tall boy looked up tears running down his face. "Kasumi?" he said to the oldest girl, who only blinked. "Nabiki?" to the girl shifting her weight to the other foot. "Dad?"  
"'Dad'?!" Kasumi and Nabiki said together looking at their father.  
"Er... I... That is..." Soun stammered.  
At last the visitor shifted his gaze to Ranma. "Who are you?"  
"That's my question. Who do you think you are coming in here and mauling my mother like that?"  
"Your mother? Then she's not...?"  
Soun interjected. "This is the wife of a very dear friend of mine." No one noticed the panda flinch a little.  
"I'm sorry. It's just that I've looking forward to coming home for a long time now."  
"You must be mistaken, I have never had a son."  
"No, Dad. It's me Akane."  
"I'm sorry, Akane was a girl."  
"But, I..."  
"Look," Ranma said, cutting the boy off. "let's save this discussion for later."  
"Why should we?" the boy said angrily.  
"Because your panda is about to get loose on the city." Ranma gestured toward the gate. The spot where should have been a panda now only had a sign stuck into the ground that read, [Sorry 'bout this.]  
The boy sprinted tot he gate with Ranma close on his heals. "Get back here, Old Man." He caught up to the panda only 10 feet from the gate. "You are coming back to help me explain..." He stopped as the sound of gate being locked came to his ears. "T-that utter and complete... ASSHOLE!"

Ranma slipped the bolt into place and turned back to the house,  
clapping his hands together. "That takes care of that."  
"I don't think so, son." Nodoka said, "If that boy knew something about Akane, we should have heard him out."  
"Come on, Mom. The guy was a loon. Even I know Akane is a girl.  
He was probably some circus escapee looking for a free ride."  
Ranma jumped several feet to the side as a thousand pounds of giant panda landed ungracefully in the yard next to him. The new boy jumped up to the top of the wall.  
Ranma glared at him, "You got a lot of nerve throwing your pets into our yard like that, buddy. Who are you, anyway?"  
Without sitting up, the panda whipped out a sign reading, [I am not a pet.]  
"My name is Akane Tendo, I live here."  
"Akane Tendo is a girl, you half wit."  
"Listen, jerk. I don't even know you and already I've had up to here with you..."  
"That's enough, you two." Nodoka stepped forward. To the boy,  
she said, "Please, come inside, let's see if we can straighten this out."  
The boy jumped from the wall, kicked the panda in front of him as they entered the house. Ranma entered last, glaring at the new boy all the way in.

Inside, Soun and Nodoka were already seated. The panda made one last desperate break for the back yard. The boy sprang forward,  
grabbing the teakettle still on the table, and whipped it at the panda,  
catching him unerringly on the back of the head. "Got 'im." he muttered, still holding the pitchers pose. Everyone got up to look for the panda in the back yard.  
Instead, they found a man in an off-white gi and glasses with an empty teakettle on his head. He sat up, chuckled nervously, "Ah, heh,  
heh... Hello, Soun. Nodoka. Long time no see."  
"Genma..." started Nodoka.  
"Saotome..." finished Soun.  
Realizing what had just happened, the pair dealt with it the best they could. They both promptly and efficiently fainted in unison.

Ranma looked from the bald man in the yard, to his mother, to the new boy, and back again. Kasumi went to the kitchen for some cold compresses. Nabiki was taking her time examining the boy from all angles.  
"Nabiki," he said, "I know it's strange, but believe me. I really am... Wah-ha-HOO!"  
"...A guy." said Nabiki, having just cupped the boy to check for gender.  
"Nabiki. Don't be rude." said Kasumi coming back in.  
"A big guy." she whispered, staring at her hand.  
"Oh, my." Kasumi said, stopping in mid-step.  
"That was totally uncalled for!" the boy shouted.  
"Listen," Nabiki said, taking a step toward the boy, who was now wide eyed and pressing himself back against the wall. "It's going to be a while before our parents wake up, so why don't you take time for a bath. You know, wash the road off you."  
"Th-that sounds pretty good." he said, edging his way around Nabiki.  
"And don't worry about the panda, I'm sure Ranma will help keep an eye on him."  
"Right. Thanks." He turned and sprinted to the bathroom.  
Nabiki walked to her room to gather some equipment, when it occurred to her, *How did he know where the bathroom was?*

"Pop?... er... Father? Is that really you?" Ranma was finally coming out of his trance, stepping into the back yard.  
Genma squared his shoulders and straightened hi gi. "Yes, Son.  
It's me. Not exactly the home-coming you imagined, is it?"  
"You could say that. Where did you go? What happened? Who..."  
"Son." Genma interrupted, "Those are all good questions, and they deserve answers. But I would rather wait and explain it to everyone at once. Help me with your mother, will you?"  
"Sure, Father."  
"I think I like 'Pop' better, Ranma." as they picked up Nodoka and took her into the living room.

The boy dumped the cold water over himself. *This sucks. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I'm not home ten minutes, already I've been insulted, rejected, and groped." He poured shampoo on his head and lathered up. *That woman is married to the Old Man, I wonder how that happened. Hard to imagine him making time with any woman let alone

getting married. She's definitely not my mom, though. Maybe she's just

out shopping or something.*

Nabiki clicked the shutter on the camera once again as the boy rinsed his hair, picked up the soap, stood and began lathering himself.  
*This is too easy. The guy is practically posing for me.* click  
*God, there is just something about soap on a man that can make impure woman of you.* click *This is going to go over big at school.*  
click *Mmm, I do mean big.* click *Gotta remember to keep a little something for myself as well.* click *Woopsie. It's behind you. Pick up the soap. Pick up the soap!* click *Thank you.*

The boy picked up the showerhead to rinse the lather off his body. *Kasumi seems nice. Nabiki, though. I don't know what's up with her.* He stepped into the warmth of the tub, feeling his body begin to shift and reform. *Then that jerk. Who the hell was...?*  
A sound came from just outside the door, as if something was tipped over and someone scrambling for a hasty retreat.  
"Who would DARE...?"

With Soun and his Mom comfortable in the living room, Ranma was on his way to his room to get change out of his gi. Nabiki suddenly burst out of the bathroom and sprinted past him to her room. As she passed him, she clapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "Tag." It was an old sign between them, meaning she was in trouble and Ranma had to clean it up. *Spying on the guy already. Can't say that is too surprising.* he laughed as he watched her jump into her room, but still have the presence of mind to close the door quietly.  
The bathroom door sprang open again. A dripping wet girl wrapped in a towel stormed out. Her muscular physique stood out against her smooth skin. She could easily be considered cute, if she didn't appear to be looking for somebody to kill. Ranma stepped back as he realized she was looking directly at him.  
"PERVERT!"  
He didn't even see blow that spun him around and embedded his face in the wall. The bathroom door slammed closed again as he pulled his face out of the hole he'd just made. *She's fast. Who was she?*  
he was thinking as he checked his jaw. *Strong, too. *  
He walked over to Nabiki's door and knocked. She opened it a crack and said with a shaky voice, "I am not dealing with this right now, Ranma." and moved to close it.  
"Ahem." He turned his face to show her the side that was red and already beginning to swell a little.  
"All right. Ten thousand off your debt." and moved to close the door.  
"Not yet." He stopped the door again, pointing to the impression in the wall.  
"Damn. All right, fifteen thousand. Now just go." and she closed the door.  
"I'll make a note of it. he said to the door and left, wondering what could have shaken Nabiki up like that. He shrugged and decided to let someone else deal with the naked girl in the bath.

Genma sat next to the sleeping forms of his best friend and his beautiful wife, wishing them happy dreams while he could. He did not look forward to them waking up. He thought of his son. By all appearances, he was the man Nodoka had wanted him to be.  
His thoughts were interrupted as she began to stir.  
"Husband. It's true. You're home. But... the panda... I saw..."  
"There is time enough for that later. Let's wait until everyone is here."  
"And Akane?" asked Soun, sitting up suddenly His face suddenly two inches away.  
"Taking a bath. You two rest a little longer. We have plenty of time."  
A voice came from behind him. "Father?"  
"Akane? Is that my little girl?" Soun got out of the bedroll,  
looking at the beautiful girl dressed in Chinese clothes with her hair cropped short.  
She went to embrace him. "It is. I'm home." After a few seconds, she let go and turned to Nodoka. "I'm sorry about the misunderstanding earlier." Nodoka only looked back at the girl questioningly. "So where's Mo..."  
Genma cleared his throat. "We should get everyone in here so we can get the show on the road, eh?"  
Soun called everyone into the living room. Ranma now dressed in loose slacks and a Tokyo Dragons T-shirt, sporting an ice pack for his chin. He only glanced at the girl in Chinese clothes, as she was glaring at him with a promise of enduring pain at her hands.  
After a few moments of silence, Genma started to sweat, "It's difficult to know where to begin."  
"Let's start by clearing the confusion." Akane said as she came up behind Genma, grabbing him by the gi. Genma quickly reversed the hold, hauling the girl over his shoulder and depositing her into carp pond.  
"Genma!" Nodoka admonished, but it was too late. A tall, blond haired boy stepped out of the pond, fairly shaking with anger.  
"Akane is a guy now." said Kasumi.  
"A... big... guy." said Nabiki, turning slightly pale.  
Genma hung his head, tears streaming down his face. "Thus begins my road to shame." A spin kick later and a splash later, a giant panda stands in the pond.  
"If this is your shame, why am I the one paying for it?" Akane roared and swung his fist, hitting the panda with enough force to lift him out of the pond and into the yard. The two continued to battle,  
neither gaining the upper hand.  
Everyone watched, stunned, as the martial arts panda fought against a boy who was suppose to be a girl, no one noticed Nodoka leave the living room, taking some very determined steps as she left.  
"That's quite a daughter you've got there, Uncle." said Ranma.  
He looked around only to find Soun on the floor again.  
"Oh, my." Kasumi said, drawing everyone's attention to what she was looking at.  
Nodoka stepped back into the living room brandishing her family honor sword. Never hesitating or looking around she headed out to the back yard. The panda suddenly broke off fighting and was starting to backpedal as fast as it could. Akane watched in horror as Nodoka's eyes burned, never leaving her black and white target. Now she understood why Genma had insisted on staying away.  
"Wha...? Woah, woah..." Ranma hurried to step in front of his mother. "Woah! Mom! Wait." She looked at him. "Please."  
"Get out of my way, Son. Whatever the reason, this goes way beyond what we agreed to."  
"Mrs. Saotome," Akane stepped forward. "as much as I am angry about this it was only an accident. It's not worth killing someone over."  
"There, Mom. You see? You wouldn't let somebody die before you get the full explanation, would you?"  
Nodoka nodded slowly, "Very well. I will listen. I suppose the hot water will work just as well a second time, won't it?"  
"Yes. It will." Akane let out a sigh and headed back to the house.

After everyone's was humanity and proper gender were restored and the story of Jusenkyo told, a moment of silence filled the room.  
Soun broke into tears, wailing, "Oh, my poor little girl."  
Sill massaging her temples, Nodoka spoke up. "Genma, what were you thinking?!"  
"It's listed right here in this guidebook." he said producing the pamphlet.  
Nabiki picked it up and leafed through it. "Let me guess, you don't read a bit of Chinese."  
"Not a word."  
"That's why this is all your fault!" shouted Akane.  
"Oh, my poor little girl!" Soun wailed again.  
"You really did go too far, Mr. Saotome." Kasumi said.  
"Genma, how could you be so careless?!" Nodoka stood up again,  
picking up the honor sword.  
Genma big-sweated, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."  
"Wait! I got it!" shouted Ranma, who had been reading over Nabiki's shoulder. "Pop, how many of these training grounds did you visit?"  
"'Pop'?!" Nodoka looked at her son.  
Genma smiled catching on. "We've visited several hundred training sites before Jusenkyo. We've beaten them all. We would have visited several hundred more, if it wasn't for these curses. I didn't have any reason to expect this one to be any different. With a name like 'the Cursed Springs' I expected it to test the limits of our training."  
Ranma blinked expecting 10 or 20, 50 at the most. "Is it true?" he turned to Akane.  
"I guess so." she said, "It did look a little too easy. I mean it was just a test a balance and coordination. The guide tried to warn us that the water below wasn't just for cushioning your fall. I shouldn't have let my guard down, anyway." She practically whispered that last part, in self-admonishment.  
Nodoka lowered the sword and turned, "Akane, dear. Answer me truthfully. Would you still be out training if it wasn't for your curse?"  
"I... well... probably. I mean, I've been wanting to come home for a while now. Yeah, I guess we would have beaten a few more sites before coming home or at least the ones on the way home."  
"All right, I'm convinced." Nodoka sheathed the katana again.  
"As much as it could have been avoided, it was an accident. Anything more, you will have to answer to Soun."  
Genma turned to his best friend and waited.  
"If you were not cursed as well, I would have never forgiven you." Soun said at last. "But as you suffer along with Akane,  
sacrificing so much for the sake of the art... I can forgive you."  
"Thank you, old friend."  
"But how could you do this to my little girl!?" he wailed,  
braking into tears again.  
Nodoka sighed. "Now with that's out of the way, we can proceed with the next order of business."  
"Right." said Ranma. He turned to face Soun. "I am sorry, Mr.  
Tendo. Our family will...  
"...Go though with the engagement, of course." finished Nodoka.  
"...what?" said Ranma, blankly.  
Soun stood up, pulled out the Japanese fan, "Happy day! This is truly a joyous occasion."  
Akane blinked at her father's sudden emotional reversal. What was said started to register and she was getting that old sinking feeling. She raised her hand. "Um, excuse me. What engagement?"  
"Why, your engagement to Ranma." Soun immediately embraced his youngest girl. "Aren't you happy, Akane?"  
"My WHAT?!"  
"You didn't tell her?" Nodoka asked her husband.  
"I thought it would be best if we trained without any silly distractions. There's was always plenty of time to discuss it later."  
he replied.  
Nodoka went back to massaging her temples.  
"I don't believe this!" Akane shouted at her father. "I'm not even back a whole day and your already trying to get rid of me again?!"  
"No!" Nodoka's head snapped up. "Akane, dear, no. You must never say that. You mustn't ever think it. This is your home. You belong here. We are only trying to ensure your future as well as the future of the noble and honorable school of Anything Goes Martial Arts."  
"Wait a second, Mom." Ranma pitched in. "If she feels she is not ready to get married, you shouldn't force her. Maybe this was a bad idea."  
"Our families are the last two practitioners of the Anything Goes school. Honor demands it be united under one roof. You know this,  
Ranma. The Saotome and the Tendo clans must be joined."  
Ranma lowered his head in defeat. Ranma knew it was useless to argue with his mother when it came to matters of honor. Finally he looked out of the corner of his eye. "Nabiki, you free?"  
"Not in your lifetime, Romeo." Nabiki said without hesitating.  
Ranma looked over, "Kasumi?"  
"I have homework to do." she said, excusing herself from the table.  
"Then it's decided, you shall marry Akane." stated Nodoka.  
"Mom, wait. There has to be some way around this. I mean, yes,  
I was ready to marry some ugly chick for the sake of honor..."  
"Ranma!" Nodoka admonished.  
"Hey!" Shouted Akane.  
"This is serious, Mom. Could you imagine the wedding night? You didn't raise me to be some limp-wristed, cake-boy. I can't marry some guy."  
"She is a girl, Ranma. We've already established that."  
"Not anymore, she isn't. She's a violent tomboy when she is a girl, and if what Nabiki says is true, when she's a guy, she's a greater man than me."  
Nabiki spit out the tea she'd been drinking. "Don't drag me into this, Saotome."  
"That's it." Akane marched over and stood in front of Ranma.  
"Like you're such a freekin' prize. You lock me out of my own home,  
peek on me in the bathroom when I'm a guy..."  
"Ranma!" Nodoka said again.  
"On top of that, you insult me. You have to be the biggest, most perverted, insensitive jerk I have ever met."  
"Listen, you muscle-headed..."  
"That will be quite enough, Ranma Saotome!" Nodoka said,  
leveling an even stare at her son.  
Ranma gritted his teeth and let out a sigh. When his mother used his full name, he knew he had pushed a little too far. He turned to Akane and bowed, "I'm sorry I insulted you. I'm sorry I locked you out of your own house. As far as peeking in the bath," he glanced at Nabiki, "I tripped on the steps, so if you assumed I was peeking, then that's you're own fault." He stood up straight, again. "But, there is still no way this marriage is going to happen." He turned and marched up to his room.  
"You're right," Soun said to Genma in a stage whisper, "they do make a perfect couple."  
"Dad!" Akane stamped her foot. "I can't believe you are all so set on this. What does Mom say about it? Where is she anyway?"  
The three adults looked at each other as Nabiki stopped in mid-  
bite of her cracker.  
"What?" Akane, said, beginning to feel uneasy.  
"You didn't tell her." Nodoka said to Genma, more as a statement than a question.  
"The subject never came up." He was beginning to sweat again.  
"GENMA!"  
"She made such great improvements in the beginning, I was so proud of her. It seemed a shame to waste that kind of progress."  
"What are you guys talking about?" Akane interrupted. Soun broke into tears again. Genma was doing his best impression of a statue.  
Nodoka told the story. "When you were very young, we agreed to unite the houses as well as pairing you with Ranma. We also agreed to raise you to be the perfect young woman we would want our son. Soun,  
in turn, would do the likewise with Ranma. When your mother took ill,  
you were so very young, we didn't know what her illness would do to you. Genma took you on that training trip, while I moved here to help with the household. When she died...  
"No..." said Akane in a very small voice.  
"...we were already training." Genma finished.  
"... you bastard."  
"Akane?" said Nodoka.  
Akane launched herself past Nodoka, tackling Genma. "Why!?" she asked twice, bouncing his head off the floor each time. He never fought back. She lifted him off the floor by his gi, slamming him into the wall. "Why did you keep me from her!? I should have been here!  
I could have..."  
"... could have what? What could you have done? Nothing! It was cancer. There was nothing any of us could have done. If you had been here, you would have watched a good woman slowly and very painfully waste away until it was a blessing that she died. Think,  
girl. What would that have done to you? What does that do to any child that age? I tried to spare you that pain."  
Akane slowly let go of his gi. "This was the cruelest..." her voice caught in her throat. "I don't know if I can forgive you for this." she said in a whisper letting him drop to the floor.  
"Akane, dear. Come with me. I'll show you to your room."  
Nodoka led her by the arm, she followed automatically.  
Once they were in her room, Nodoka said, "I know how you feel."  
"How?! How can you possibly know how I feel?"  
"She was my best friend. She was the one who introduced me to Genma. We were all changed by her passing. He was right, in a way.  
It was painful, for everyone. He may not have been right for not telling you, but he had his reasons. Did you know he was an orphan at your age? So, he does know about that kind of pain. If you must blame anyone for what you are feeling right now, blame me. I promised your mother I would look after all her daughters, always. I may have failed you before, but never again."  
She put her arms around the girl, Akane broke down crying on the older woman's shoulder, "It's not fair. It's just not fair." After she cried herself to sleep, Nodoka tucked her into her bed, and quietly left.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
end prolog.  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

For the rundown on the legend of Kentaro, watch the first few tapes Urusei Yatsura. If that's not available, think of him as a Japanese Daniel Boone. And if you don't know who Daniel Boone is, read a book.  
And for those that don't know, the Tokyo Dragons are a baseball team.

For all you Akane fans out there expecting her to be the main focus of attention, I'll tell you right now, I'm not planning on it. She is only one player in the whole scheme of Nerima, a major one, true, but by no means the only one.

Questions and comments always welcome. I know this ended on a dark note, but don't always expect it to be this way. I am planning an epic.

Thanks to T. H. Tiger for pre-reading.

-David Battley dbattley 


	2. Chapter 2

Standard disclaimers apply.

Yet Another Scary Thought Chapter 1

Ranma woke to the sounds of fighting in the front yard. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he went to the window to find the commotion.  
Below he saw the man that had been introduced as his father in an all out battle against Akane, the girl who was his fiancie.  
*Not exactly a girl,* he reminded himself, *and definitely not a fiancie.*  
"C'mon, girl." his father was taunting. "Where's all that fight from yesterday?"  
"I'll make you swallow it, old man!" she met him in mid-air with a flurry of punches and kicks but his father came out on top sending Akane into the pond.  
As the male Akane stood up, Genma couldn't help taunt the now male Akane again, "That was sloppy girl. Bwah-ha-ha..." His laughing stopped as a human missile shot out of the pond, slamming the older fighter into the far fence.  
"Bite me, old man. I haven't forgiven you just yet." he said,  
he turned and walked inside.  
Ranma shook his head. He was serious about martial arts, but these two were fanatics. He reminded himself never to start a serious fight with either of them.

"School?"  
"Yes, it will be good for you to get to know other girls your own age." said Nadoka, "Besides, you have probably been very lax in your education, if I know Genma." She handed Akane her book bag.  
"Well, yeah. But a martial artist doesn't need all that math and history and junk." she said still looking at the book bag as if it might reach out and bite her.  
"There is more to the world than the Art, Akane. Who knows, you may even find something you enjoy." Akane found it hard to argue with the older woman and took the bag reluctantly.  
Nabiki went running past, "I'm going on ahead, see you later."  
"Wait, I'll go with you." Akane called after her sister.  
"Just a moment, Akane." Nadoka turned to her son who was just coming down the steps, dressed in his navy blue school uniform.  
"Ranma, why don't you escort Akane to school."  
"What? Why..." His protests died in his throat as his mother cocked her eyebrow. "All right. Come on." he said defeatedly, and walked out, not checking to see if Akane followed him or not.

Akane was walking on the fence above the canal, Ranma walking below, not looking at her. Akane looked down at him, unable to take the silence anymore. "Listen, I know you have some problems with me changing like I do."  
"You could say that." said Ranma still not looking at her.  
"I just wanted to say, don't worry, I'll stay out of your way."  
"Good."  
"At school, we'll just be strangers, OK."  
"Some stranger than most."  
Akane fumed at that. "I'm trying to be nice here."  
"Duly noted."  
Akane jumped down from the fence to block his path. "Why are you being such an ass?"  
"You mean you want this engagement to happen?"  
"Of course not, but being civil wouldn't kill..." She was interrupted with a splash of cold water from the side. An old lady was washing the sidewalk with water from a bucket continued to splash water, oblivious of the changed boy in front of her.  
Ranma was suddenly looking at a tall boy fairly shaking with anger he couldn't express. Ranma sighed, "C'mon. I know a place we can get some hot water."  
"Forget it. Why bother?"  
"What do you mean 'forget it'. You don't want to start your first day as a guy, do you?"  
"It's not like it matters."  
"Yes, it does, because Mom registered you as a girl. Now, come on. We've got to get you changed while we still have time." He walked off, Akane following a short way behind.

"Dr. Tofu?" Ranma called walking into the clinic. Not receiving an answer, he said, "Wait here, I'll be right back."  
Akane stood in the lobby, thinking this was not the best start of the day when something touched his shoulder. When he saw the skeletal hand resting there, he screamed in terror, lashing out with three quick punches at the leering skull behind him. The skeleton blocked the first two punches with bony arms, but the third got through,  
pulverizing the horrible grin into dust.  
Behind the skeleton stood a man in his late 20's, wearing glasses, kinda handsome, actually, standing very calmly, holding the remainder of the skeleton by the arms. "Hmm, not exactly the reaction I was expecting." he said.  
Akane stood there breathing hard, sweating. Ranma returned with a tea kettle, "Hey, Doc, I thought I heard... My God. They got Betty.  
Those bastards."  
"Relax, Ranma. It's my own fault. I'll just have to find another skull for her. Should be easy enough." He looked at Akane,  
then looked closer, "Hmmm." he said, studying the boy's facial features. He cocked his head thoughtfully.  
"What?" Akane took a step back. "What are you looking at?"  
Praying this guy hadn't found his replacement skull too quickly.  
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking that you looked familiar. Have we met before?"  
"Oh, right." Ranma stepped in. "Doctor Tofu, I'd like you to meet the youngest Tendo daughter, Akane."  
"...'Daughter'?"  
"Hey!" Akane protested as Ranma poured the teakettle over the tall boy's head, who immediately shrank into her girl form. She shot Ranma a dark look for revealing her curse so fast before turning to the doctor, "Um, hi. I'm Akane, pleased to meet'cha."  
"A genuine Jusenkyo curse. Uh... ah... pleased to meet you." he said, extending Betty's hand in a western greeting. Akane looked at the bony extension nervously decided only to bow in return.  
"Where did you hear of Jusenkyo?" she asked, quickly.  
"From a Chinese lore book. If that particular legend is true, I have got to see if I can find that book again."  
"Hey, we'd better get going if we don't want to be late." said Ranma.  
"Right, sorry about your skeleton, Doctor." she bowed again as she hurried out the door.  
"See you later." He turned to pick up a portion of the cranium.  
"Alas, poor Betty. I knew her well." he said, smiling at his own joke.

"So who was that guy, anyway?" Asked Akane, running along the fence, again. "He's weird but kinda cute."  
"Heh. Don't bother, he's only got eyes for Kasumi. He's a family friend and doctor. I've been going to him since I moved here."  
"He's a martial artist?"  
"Yeah. I'm going to study under him during the summer."  
Akane jumped down, running next to him. "It's kinda hard to imagine you as the kind and gentle family doctor type."  
"Ho, really. Look, just stay away from me, alright."  
Akane jumped down from the fence to run beside Ranma. "Listen,  
jerk, it was just a joke..."  
"I'm serious, keep back or your going to get hurt."  
"What, you think you can take me?"  
"Not from me, dummy. From them."  
Akane looked ahead to see the schoolyard filling up with boys dressed in various athletic gear, running straight at them. "The hell...?"  
Ranma threw his book bag at Akane. "Hold on to this for me, will ya?" He reached behind his back and pulled a bokken from seemingly nowhere, and jumped into the center of the group of boys.  
"Screw that!" Akane dropped the book-bags near the gate and charged the melee.  
"Akane!"  
Akane spun, ready for an attack, only to see Nabiki just inside the gate, beckoning to her. "I can't stop now, Nabiki. Ranma's..."  
"Ranma's fine. Take a look."  
Sure enough, Ranma had already cleared more than half the boys in the yard. She noticed he didn't limit himself to sword strikes, but alternating between kicks and punches as well in an effective pattern that wouldn't allow any opponent near enough to hurt him.  
"What the hell's this all about?"  
"Don't worry, he can handle himself. This happens every morning.  
Heh. Look at him go. Kinda impressive, isn't he?"  
"I guess. So, why aren't you in class?"  
"Business."  
"Oh." She was about to ask Nabiki to elaborate on that, but Ranma had just finished knocking the last of the boys unconscious.  
"Time!" Another boy stepped away from the wall on the other side of the gate where some other boys stood. He looked at the stopwatch in his hand. "Forty-eight seconds. You're slowing down, Ranma."  
"You try running full tilt eight blocks before fighting." Ranma stood up straight. "Let's get it over with, Kuno." Ranma shouted,  
still breathing hard.  
A new boy stepped from the school entrance, dressed in a kendo uniform, looking arrogant. "Truly there is no one worthy to be called my adversary, Sophomore Saotome. At the hands of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, you shall be laid low!" Lighting struck and thunder rolled as Kuno raised his sword. "Before this assemblage of worthy comrades, that have taken up arms for my cause, you shall acknowledge me as your better."  
"The only reason they attack me is because you paid them, Kuno."  
Ranma shot back.  
"Ensuring their prosperity ensures their loyalty. Even those who call you friend would turn against you." he said gesturing to one of the fallen boys.  
Ranma frowned at the boy dressed in full kendo armor. He knelt and removed the face guard. "Daiske? What are you doing?"  
"Sorry, Captain." the fallen boy groaned, "I needed the money."  
"It's OK, just rest for now." Ranma stood up again. "Kuno, you have finally sunk to your lowest. It wasn't enough that you created your own Samurai Club when you were kicked out," He raised his sword.  
"Now you're turning my own men against me? You're...!"  
"...Late." said Akane, who was standing directly in front of him.  
Ranma blinked wondering where she came from.  
"I told you not to interfere."  
"We're late for class in case you've forgotten. As much as I enjoy testosterone driven head-butting, I don't want to be late for my first day of class."  
"Who is this vision of loveliness?" asked Kuno, coming up behind her.  
"Huh? Akane, Akane Tendo." she answered.  
"Such honor and privilege that you have chosen to defend me.  
Come. I would be honored to escort you wherever you wish to go. Do not be deceived by the lies of this base knave. You risk your maidenhood by associating with the likes of him." He took her hand in his, gazing deep into her eyes. "I am Tatewaki Kuno, oft times called the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, Captain of the Samurai club, junior,  
age 17." He kissed the back of her hand.  
"Kuno, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into." said Ranma.  
"What's that mean!?" Akane shouted.  
"You would vie for the attentions of such beauty, cur?" Kuno raised his sword again.  
"Anytime, Kuno." Ranma matched his stance.  
"Have at thee."  
They raised their bokken and struck at the same time. Neither expected Akane to step between them, raising a book bag in each hand to block the blows. She let go of the bags, grabbed each boy the back of the neck and cracked their heads together. Kuno fell like a sack of bricks, Ranma went down to one knee, shaking the cobwebs, he shouted,  
"What did you do that for?"  
Akane grabbed him by the wrist and started running, dragging Ranma toward the school. "I told you, we're late, and I don't want to be caught..." the rain fell before they made it inside. "DAMMIIIT!" he roared just inside the door. He slumped against the wall, "What I wouldn't give to stay dry an entire day. Just one day."  
He sat against the wall with his head down for a few seconds when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ranma standing there, smiling.  
"C'mon." Ranma said, again. "I know where we can get some water."  
Akane couldn't help but smile back.

Feeling the rain stop beating against his face Kuno opened his eyes. Nabiki was standing over him holding an umbrella. "Let's go,  
Kuno-chan. Time for class."  
"Who was that girl? She is formidable."  
"My little sister. Why?"  
"Nabiki." His eyes came into focus. "What is her relationship to that cur, Saotome?"  
Nabiki slowly smiled.

After Akane was introduced to the class, she and Ranma were immediately being sent out to the hall for being late.  
"Geez," Akane was saying, "You'd think the teacher could've cut us some slack, considering the gauntlet you had to run."  
"Don't worry about it. He's always like this." Ranma replied.  
"At least he could've cut me some slack. It's more your fault than mine."  
Ranma snorted, "Thanks for sharing."  
"Who was that lunatic that set those guys after you anyway?"  
"Tatewaki Kuno. When I joined the kendo club last year, he challenged all the new members, saying he would hand over his place as team captain to whoever beat him. Thanks to Mom's training, I won. He said I cheated and challenged me again, lost, and got thrown out because he wouldn't acknowledge a legitimate defeat. He created the Samurai Club along side the existing Kendo club and we've been rivals ever since.  
Especially since we only have half the budget to work with."  
Two girls walked past pushing a film projector. "Hi, Ranma."  
said one. "Hi, Captain." said the other.  
"Hey, Ikari. Hey, Rei." Ranma replied. They were both giggling to themselves as they turned the corner.  
"'Captain'?" asked Akane.  
"I opened the club to girls, so we have a lot of new members. It helped fill in the gaps when the club split."  
"So, this Kuno guy pays every jock in school to attack you every morning, just to get you to give up the Kendo club?"  
"Well, no. It's become a bit more personal than that."  
"Why's that?"  
"Hey, maybe you should join the club, we are always looking for new members."  
"I prefer bare-handed fighting. Weapons are a limitation."  
"That's too bad, you'd probably be pretty good at it."  
"You're avoiding the subject."  
"That's because it's personal."  
"So, with Nabiki, it's 'business' and with you it's 'personal'.  
What was Nabiki doing down there during the fight, anyway."  
"Nabiki has a... knack for making money. When Kuno started attacking me, she set up a betting pool on who would win. When Kuno started hiring the guys every morning, she found out just how much he was paying them and promised to double it for the guy who got the knock out punch. Those that didn't gave up their money for the morning.  
Sometimes, I think she personally put the idea into Kuno's head."  
"That's horrible. How could she do this to someone who lives in the same house? Don't you feel like she's betrayed you?"  
"I don't mind, it's good training after all. Besides it won't last forever. Whenever interest started going down, she's had to cut back and offer more, now she is up to ten times the hire rate or loose half. Then there's the betting pool, side bets, loan payments, and various other financial holdings she has over the boys. I'll have to talk with her about Daiske, though. He really didn't deserve that."  
"So what does she do with it all?"  
"She puts it back in the dojo. Well, yeah, she skims a healthy bit off the top for herself, but she's determined to have Mom spend as little money as possible."  
"That's a good thing, I suppose. What about..."  
Further conversation was interrupted as Kuno came around the corner, throwing his bucket of water at Ranma. Ranma easily sidestepped the projectile.  
"Watch it!" Akane shouted as she jumped over the splash.  
"Saotome. Surely the Gods must be mad to allow one such as you to procreate."  
"Yo, Kuno. What bug crawled in your shorts?"  
"I have received word of your impending prenuptial to this most beauteous newcomer. That you would practice your lusts on any female is a crime beyond heinous."  
"'Impending pre...?' Kuno keep your voice down will ya?"  
"I will not stand for you eng..." Kuno shouted, the last part cut off by Akane holding her hand over his mouth. Stunned, Kuno grabbed the hand, "Beautiful and fierce Akane Tendo. You have come, once again, to my defense. Do you love me so much?"  
"What? Hey, leggo." she said, unable to pull her hand away.  
"Come, let me show you what it means to be with a real man."  
Before she could react, he leaned forward and kissed her holding her in a tight embrace.  
Cold water hit Akane's back as she heard Ranma shouting, "Whoo!  
Look at 'im go! Kuno! You really are a man's man." The class partitions were suddenly bursting at the seams with student witnessing Upperclassman Kuno put a lip-lock on a cute guy. ...A very cute guy.  
...A very angry, very cute guy.  
"You kissed me..." Akane-kun was shaking with fury.  
"P-tui. pthua... Who are you, sorcerer, that you would practice your foul lusts on the noble person of Tatewake Kuno."  
"You kissed me!"  
"Do you not hear me, man? Answer when your betters speak to you.  
What have you done with Akane?" Kuno leveled his bokken at Akane-kun.  
"You'd better take it outside." said Ranma.  
Akane spun to face him. "You are no help at all!" Akane yelled,  
"What the hell were you thinking?" Ranma only looked back at her evenly. "All right then, outside it is." Without looking back, he mule-kicked Kuno square in the chest, sending him crashing through the window and into the courtyard. He quickly jumped through the hole after his opponent.  
Ranma ran to the window. "Idiot." he called. "This is the third floor." Only to watch as Akane landed on his feet neatly at the side of the pool. Kuno was not so lucky, floating facedown in the water.  
"That was weird."  
"You mean throwing Kuno out a third story window like that?"  
"No, that Kuno's really gay."  
"I always suspected as much."  
"Yeah, he just likes poetry way too much."  
Ranma had already run off.

"Ah, crap." Akane said when it was apparent the upperclassman was not going to move. She dove into the pool to pull him out.  
Ranma ran up as Akane-kun pulled Kuno's unconscious form out of the pool. "Are you insane, Akane? Kicking a guy out of a third story window like that?"  
"Shut up. It's not like he's hurt or anything."  
"Did you even know there was a pool down here?"  
"Ah... well... Of course I knew. You don't think I'm that reckless do you?"  
"Yeah, right. Here." Ranma said handing Akane-kun a kettle,  
"Change back quick. Teachers are already scouting the area looking for the 'blond-haired delinquent' that just made an attempt on a student's life."  
"I wasn't trying to kill him," Akane poured the water over himself. "And I am not a delinquent." she shouted.  
"No truly you are none." Kuno said, opening his eyes. "Akane,  
you have saved me once again. I am your humble servant, dear lady." he knelt before Akane. "Forgive my foolish assumptions and my brash behavior. I know now that you are too noble to truly..."  
"Better stop him quick, Akane." Ranma said, "We could be here all day."  
"Shut up, Ranma. This is your fault, too, you know." said Akane.  
"Saotome, what business have you here? Is it not enough that your fiend of a friend made an attempt on my very life, but I must suffer your company as well?"  
"Um, hey." Akane intervened, "It wasn't like that..."  
"No, do not speak, fair one. You need not defend that blond-  
haired devil. Whatever his connection to you, it shall fall before the wrath of Tatewake Kuno. This I swear." With that, Kuno picked up his bokken and walked off.  
"Not bad." said Ranma, "First day at school and you've already made a friend and an enemy out of the same person."  
A teacher came running up to the pair on the way into school.  
"Ranma, have you seen that blond-haired boy come this way?"  
"Don't worry. You shouldn't be seeing him for the rest of the day." said Akane. *I hope.*

"I can't believe they gave me this much homework."  
"Well you do have some catching up to do. I could help you out,  
if you want me to."  
Akane gave Ranma a dubious look before replying. "I think... I could use the help."  
"After dinner then."  
As soon Ranma was upstairs, Kasumi came running out of her room.  
"Oh, Akane, thank goodness. Come with me, quickly." She grabbed Akane's arm, dragging the bewildered girl out to the dojo.  
"What's going on, Kasumi?"  
"I need your help. This is very important. Okay. Stand in the middle of the floor." Kasumi picked up the fire bucket from the corner and doused Akane with it. "Now take off your shirt."  
"What?" the male Akane replied.  
"Please, Akane. I need your help for my anatomy class."  
Looking at her older sister with her large pleading eyes Akane found it very difficult to say no. He took his shirt off.  
"Great." Kasumi said, clapping her hands together. "Now, stand here like this. No, put the other arm up. Good. Now flex this arm a bit to make the muscles stand out a bit. Hmmm, your chest too, can you tighten up the muscles here? Perfect. Your not uncomfortable, are you?" Akane shook his head. "Good. Then hold very still." Kasumi ran over to the wall, picked up her sketchpad and a pencil and hit the play button on the CD player for some instrumental music. Sitting lotus style, she started to draw.  
*What in the world is going on?* thought Akane.  
Too late, Akane realized Kasumi had positioned him with his back to the entrance and he couldn't see anyone coming in. "Hey, Kasumi.  
Have you seen... whoa!" Whoever had just walked in, suddenly sprinted back out.  
"Was that Nabiki?"  
"Yes it was but please hold still." Kasumi said in a monotone.  
Akane complied.  
Footsteps once again entered the dojo which were immediately followed by a *Click* *Zip* *Click* *Zip* He turned his head to see what it was. "Nabiki, what are you doing?" he asked.  
"Hold still, please." said Kasumi.  
Nabiki lowered her camera to answer. "Oh, don't worry. I am just helping Kasumi out. She can study these pictures later to improve her drawing."  
"Really, Kasumi?"  
Kasumi's pencil never stopped moving. "...Uh...huh..." she muttered without looking up.  
This went on for several minutes, Nabiki slowly circling and snapping pictures, only pausing long enough to reload her camera.  
Kasumi silently sketching against the wall, listening to some soft music from the CD. Akane getting very board and slightly stiff from holding the same position too long.  
Plus, he'd been expecting it. He knew what this was building up to. He'd seen it coming a mile away. Why those words caught him by surprise would be something he would never figure out.  
"O.K. Great." declared Kasumi. "Now drop your pants." Nabiki dove after her precious camera before it hit the floor as it slipped from her fingers.  
Akane just stood there. "Um, Kasumi, heh... big sister," he felt it necessary to remind her. "Why would you're medical class be interested if I," he cleared his throat, "dropped... my pants."  
"What? Oh..." Kasumi laughed. "I'm not in medical school."  
"Wasn't this for Anatomy class?"  
"I'm in Art College. We are studying human musculature. Don't back out now, Akane. Please, this is an important part of my grade and it would mean so much to me." Kasumi pleaded.  
"You and me both." Nabiki muttered. "Don't worry," she said. "We know we're all girls here. Right? Nothing to really be embarrassed about."  
"Well... I mean... If you guys are sure about this." He felt he really didn t want to alienate his sisters after just arriving home.  
Akane resumed his pose in the middle of the dojo floor, dressed in only the overhead lights and a blush.  
Nabiki stared, "Oh... my..."  
"Great. Now put one foot in front of the other. A little bit more apart. Bend the knee a little bit more. Can you flex the calf muscles of your front leg? Excellent." Kasumi dropped herself into her lotus position again as Nabiki was snapping pictures in a fury.  
"Hey, ladies. Dinner's almost... Aw, geez." Akane nearly fell over as he spun around to face Ranma.  
"DON T MOVE!" Kasumi snapped before anything was said.  
Akane snapped back into position. His face and upper body went completely red. *I'm a guy now.* he reminded himself. *It doesn't matter. Right? Just like a boy's locker room. Sure.*  
Ranma walked over to Kasumi, watching her draw for a few seconds.  
"Aren't you exaggerating just a little, Kasumi?"  
"Hey!" shouted Akane.  
"Don't move, please!" Kasumi continued to draw.  
Nabiki stopped her photo taking and walked over to look at Kasumi's drawing. She looked over at Akane, back to the drawing, then up at Ranma. "No." she said, and resumed taking pictures.  
"Ranma, I thought I told you bring everyone in fo-OHDEAR. Oh,  
my."  
Akane eyes flew open wide as he froze in terror. *Oh, no. Just let me drop into a hole and die now.* Akane thought.  
"Kasumi!" Nodoka scolded.  
"Just a few more minutes, Auntie."  
Nodoka walked over to where Kasumi and Ranma were, holding her hand over her eyes to block Akane's position, still taking peeks around her hand to be sure Akane would stay behind her hand, of course. She looked at Kasumi's drawing. "Must you go into that much detail right now, dear?"  
"OK. I'm finished." Kasumi announced standing up.  
Akane snatched his pants back into position in a hurry. Nabiki's eyes were watching his every move, making him extremely nervous.  
"Thank you, Akane." Kasumi walked up to him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You don't know how much I appreciate this."  
"Oh. Well, it was nothing really." Akane said with a forced smile.  
"Hey." Nabiki jumped between the two, "next time will be even better, right sis?"  
"Huh?" Akane's smile fell.  
"What?" Kasumi looked at Nabiki, who was looking at her dead in the eyes. "Oh, yes. Next time. Absolutely." she said as they both turned toward the door.  
"All right! Dinner. I'm staving." Ranma shouldered his way past Akane, who was just standing there.  
"What 'next time'?" he called, finally taking a step to follow.  
"Hey!"

Akane looked up from the textbook, "Does Kasumi do that often?"  
"Do what?" Ranma looked up from his homework across the dining table.  
"Have people do that modeling thing, you know..."  
"Sure she does."  
"Have you ever done it?"  
"Lots of times. Even Nabiki and my mom have posed for her."  
Ranma worked out the rest of the math problem not seeing Akane s expression relax a little. "Of course, we were never naked, though."  
Akane's forehead hit the table. "You should feel proud. You were her first nude. We were usually just reclining or standing or sitting and she would draw us as we were."  
"This is so wrong." Akane mumbled into the table.  
"Why? You're a guy. Guys don't have to worry about showing off their bodies. Well, unless they're in public..."  
"Well, that's true. Girls always have to worry about showing too much skin or attracting the wrong kind of attention. Men never have to worry about it. Just make sure your clothes are clean, your hair is straight, and you don't smell and bingo, you look good. Guy's have it easy."  
"Is that why you are a guy now?"  
Akane shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? I'm not uncomfortable like this. Why, do I make you nervous?" He smiled, edging a little closer to Ranma.  
"No." Ranma answered a little too quickly. "No. It's your choice, after all. What's the next problem?" Akane looked at him for a moment before turning back to his homework.

Ranma charged once again onto the school grounds the next day,  
laying waste to the various sports teams. Akane waited by the gate until he was done.  
Kuno took the opportunity to charge directly into the fight with the battle cry, "To free all women of your tyranny, I challenge you!"  
Being harder pressed, Ranma had to give ground. Even with Kuno's direct involvement, no one landed a blow.  
"Time. Looking better, Ranma." said the boys by the gate.  
As Ranma stood in the middle of all the unconscious boys, a cheer rose from the windows of the school. Akane noticed what she hadn't seen yesterday. Girls were at every window shouting encouragement to Ranma. Ranma waved back at the school and the cheer got louder.  
*What is he, some sort of womanizing idol star?* Akane thought sourly, following Ranma inside while Nabiki collected debts from the unconscious boys.

Everyone headed outside for lunch and Ranma was the center of attention of both boys and girls. The boys all called him 'Captain'  
while the girls tried to give him their lunch. They were always politely refused and some of the boys would make a play for the extra lunch, with little success.  
This didn't sit well with Akane. Why, exactly, she couldn't say.  
She was grateful for the girls that talked to her. Yuka and Sayuri were nice enough and tried hard to include her in the conversation,  
even if it was just idle chitchat. She privately wondered why girls without boyfriends found other girl's boyfriends so interesting.  
Her thoughts were interrupted as Kuno walked up to her and her new companions, "Akane Tendo, I would speak with you."  
The other girls quickly made an excuse to leave, still talking among themselves, Akane hoped she hadn't become the topic. They walked over the corner of the school, Akane thinking it would be just private enough to trash the guy without hurting innocent bystanders. She turned to face Kuno, only to come face to face with an insanely cute doll.  
"Gyah! The hell is that?" she asked stepping away from it,  
holding her fingers in the form of a cross to ward the cuteness away.  
"This is but a slight token of the love I feel for you."  
She looked at the frills and lace, noting how very pink it was.  
"How do you figure?" she asked.  
"You have put yourself in harms way for the sake of my defense,  
not once but twice. Such noble actions speak volumes of the love hidden deep in your heart. That such an honorable and pure maiden be trapped in a loveless engagement to such a cad as Ranma Saotome," he was on the verge of tears, "such a travesty cannot be ignored."  
"You sure didn't treat me very 'honorable' yesterday when you kissed me." She glared at him.  
Kuno waved it away dismissively. "Nothing more than a fortunate accident. Thus do bright young things come to confusion. Yet, I assure you, you would suffer a thousand times worse under the mercies of your current engagement. Before meeting your lips, uh, loveliness,  
the sun did not shine, before seeing your ches... chastity, I did not know this noble heart of mine could ever be filled with such love."  
"Uh..., right. Look, Kuno, I have to be somewhere else right now."  
She was caught up in a tight embrace before she could move. "Not before I hear from your lips the love in your heart."  
"GET OFF ME!" She said, breaking out of his arms and punching him in the face. "Forget it. I don't want to be a part of your little rivalry with Ranma and I'm not some damsel in distress that needs to be rescued."  
She walked away from him around the corner of the school.  
A bucket full of water landed on her head.

"Be careful." said the girl with the mop, "you could have hit somebody."  
"There's nobody down there. See?" the girl with the bucket looked out. "Oops, sorry about that. I... ohmigod. It's him." She ducked her head back inside.  
"Who?"  
"The guy from the pictures. He's here. On campus."  
"Really?"  
"And I just hit him with a bucket of dirty water. I'm so embarrassed."

*How could she not want to be with me?* Kuno thought as he watched her walk around the corner. *She truly thinks she does not need assistance to be released from the clutches of Saotome. Yet, That which a maiden's lips deny, her heart cries out for. I must free her from this farce of an engagement.*  
"Akane, my love." He ran to catch up with Akane. "Wait, I...,"  
Around the corner he nearly ran into a tall, well muscled youth.  
"You." he spat in disgust. "Once again you come between me and my true love. Tell me where you have hidden my goddess, ruffian."  
"This is twice already, Kuno. Haven't you figured it out yet?"  
"So, it's true, then. You do plan to stand between me any my beloved." Akane facefaulted. "If you know my name, blackguard, you know I am not someone to be trifled with. Now, I will ask you for the last time, where have you hidden my true love?" Not waiting for an answer, he struck with his bokken, Akane bent under the blow that was aimed at his neck.  
"Hey, your really serious about this." he said, straightening up.  
"My heart is pure, my cause is just. The vengeance of heaven shall strike you down, NOW!" An overhead strike split the fountain Akane had been standing in front of. Akane flipped over Kuno's head,  
bounding away as Kuno cut a deep trench in the earth where he had just landed.

A group of three boys centered closest around Ranma and were considered his closest friends.  
"Hey, Captain, you're in luck today." said Hiroshi. "Looks like Kuno found a new playmate."  
"Who?" asked Daisuke. "Hey, wait. That's the guy Kuno was kissing in the hall, the other day. I'm sure of it."  
"Do you think it's a lover's quarrel?"  
"Oh, crap." was Ranma's only reply as he got up. "You guys wait here."  
"Ranma, that might not be a good idea." said the boy who was rubbing the crystal pendant around his neck. "There's just something wrong with that guy."  
"Don't worry, Gos, it won't take long." Ranma called over his shoulder as he left.  
"But, Ranma..." Ranma had already walked off.  
"Gos, what's wrong? What's wrong? You look kinda spooked."  
"Yeah, that's not normal for you. What do you see in your crystal this time?"  
"Uh, ah, never mind. OK? You know it's never right, anyway."  
Hikaru Gosunkugi prayed he was wrong. The path Ranma walked led to romance... but there were only guys in that direction. Hikaru grew a little paler and a little greener. Ranma was someone he looked up to for a long time, a man among men. He truly prayed his premonition truly

was wrong this time.

Akane kept dodging Kuno's bokken, finally jumping high to put some distance between him and Kuno. She ended up landing next to Ranma.  
"He looks pretty serious. What did you do to him?"  
"How should I know? He thinks I hid myself somewhere."  
Ranma blinked and shook his head, "Why aren't you fighting back?"  
"Miscreants! Whether two at once or both together, I shall triumph!" Kuno charged, his bokken aimed to spear Ranma in the chest.  
Ranma didn't even notice. Akane caught the wooden blade and snapped it in half. "How dare you defile such a sacred blade. You..."  
Akane balled his fist and sent Kuno into the wall, where he stayed.  
"Nice one." Ranma applauded. "But it was a bit of overkill."  
"You really are less than useless! Why were you just standing there!? Besides, what do you care? You do it all the time."  
"I'm talking about the property damage." he said, pointing at the ruined fountain, the turned up earth and the impression in the wall Kuno was still hanging from.  
"It's not my fault."  
"Whatever. Look, you'd better hit the showers before class starts. I'll try to explain this."  
Akane stalked off, but only got a few steps before he looked back to see Ranma still standing there, waiting for some form of authority to show up. He opened his mouth to either say thanks, or yell at him,  
but turned and continued toward the school. *Why couldn't he be a full time jerk?* he mused as he walked into the building toward the lavatories. *He'd be easier to deal with that way.*  
"Excuse me."  
Akane stopped just short of the bathroom. "Yeah?" Akane looked around and down. *That's Chisato from my class.*  
"I thought you looked kinda distracted, but, um, the boy's bathroom is over there."  
"What?" Akane looked at the sign that said, 'Ladies'. "Oh.  
Right, thanks."  
"Chisato." the girl said quickly.  
"What? Oh. Thanks... Chisa-chan." He failed to notice the beaming smile on the girl's face.  
Akane opened the door the boys room and stopped. There were several boys standing in the urinal stalls and a couple smoking by the window. Akane just couldn't seem to make her feet take another step foreword.  
"Is there something wrong?" Chisato asked, still standing just off to the side.  
"There's guys in there." Akane responded without thinking.  
"Well, yeah. There's nothing wrong, is there?"  
"No, no, nothing's wrong." Akane still didn't move foreword,  
even as one of the boys shoved past him on his way out. She wished more than anything that Chisato would go away. "Maybe I'll just do it later." He turned, nearly colliding with the smaller girl as she was still staring at him. "Is there something wrong?"  
"You haven't told me your name yet."  
"Aka... Akira."  
"I... Have you eaten yet? I made an extra."  
"I'm really not that hungry." Akane's stomach made noises to the contrary which made Chisato giggle. *I don't believe this.* "Well,  
maybe just a little."  
Chisato grabbed him by the arm and led him back out to the yard.  
She knew she was the envy of the school right then. She was only a girl of average looks, but she was on the arm of a boy that even surpassed Ranma.  
Akane practically grabbed the bento box and started wolfing down the contents. "Hmmm. Chisa-chan, you have got to show me how to make this."  
"I'd love to." Chisato squealed.  
"I can't take my eyes off you for a second, can I?" came a voice from behind them.  
"Oh. Hi, Ranma." said Chisato.  
Rice sprayed out of Akane's mouth as he suddenly realized what this must look like. "Ranma, it's not what it seems."  
"Oh, don't mind me. I just thought I'd remind you that class is starting in 10 minutes, thought you might like to get changed, but I see it doesn't matter." Ranma was smiling like the proverbial cat.  
"Oh, wow, Akira, you're a transfer student? What class are you in?" To Akane, Chisato was leaning just a little too close for comfort.  
"Akira?" asked Ranma, raising an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, um... Ranma..."  
"If you wanted to, I'm sure Chisa would be willing to show you the where the office is so you can register." Akane wanted to swat that grin off Ranma's face in a very bad way.  
"Sure. I'd love to." Chisato said, bouncing to her feet.  
"NO!" Akane said quickly. "Ranma, could you show me where it is?"  
"But, Chisa can..."  
"I could."  
"Ranma!" Akane roared, then dropped his eyes. "Please."  
Ranma sighed, "Sorry, Chisato. You'll have to catch her next time around."  
"Her?" she asked.  
"Him. I meant him. Sorry." Ranma said. Akane thought he didn't look a bit sorry.

"Ranma, it's not what you're thinking." Akane was saying after they had changed her back to her proper gender. "I can explain it."  
Ranma walked quickly down the hall, "You don't need to explain it to me. Far be from me to stand in the way of your happiness."  
"At least let me tell you why..."  
"Don't worry about it. If that's your preference, well..."  
"You're not listening to me."  
"Ah, yes, but if I listen to you, we will just be late for class again." Ranma ducked into the classroom before Akane could say anymore.  
*Jerk. I have really got to get this straightened out.* she thought. *If I can just tell him, he'll understand.* She entered the room and immediately saw Chisato sitting there with a dreamy, far away look in her eyes. She did her best to ignore it as she took her seat.  
-

-continued

All right. I know. It's difficult to get around these first few chapters and not get a little repetitive in the time line. Once I get past the next chapter or two things will begin to pick up. Trust me.

Thanks to T. H. Tiger for pre-reading and suggestions.

Direct suggestions, comments, praise and flames to:  
dbattley


	3. Chapter 3

Standard disclaimers apply. Adult language and situation warning, as well.

Yet Another Scary Thought.  
by David L. Battley Chapter 2 First Date.

All things he had done for purpose. To raise Akane and keep her safe and well fed, sure some things had to be sacrificed, but it was all for the best, right? His wife and his best friend had said they understood and that they had forgiven him, but not so much that he wasn't still sleeping in the guest room. Well, it was hardly that, more like a storage closet with things moved aside so he could lie down. His old friend didn't seem much for a good game of go, lately either. Well,  
give them time, things would settle down. There was much to be gained,  
after all.

This last thought crossed his mind as he looked at his son. He was so much like his mother in looks, which was a good thing, after all. At least he hadn't lost his hair, yet. He entered the dojo, watching Ranma practice; the boy was balancing a Ping-Pong ball on the edge of his bokken. Occasionally he would toss it into the air and hit it straight up a few times, always using the narrowest part, and catching it on the edge again. A good coordination drill, he knew, but he just couldn't help himself.

"That looks like a child's game."

Ranma's concentration didn't waver. He flicked the ball into the air again, hitting with the edge of the bokken as it came down. "Not..."  
hit "as easy..." hit "as..." hit "it looks." This time he spun in place before catching it on the edge again.

Genma grinned. "Why don't you show me what else your mother has taught you?"

"Actually," Nodoka's voice came from off to the side, "Ranma has been developing his own moves and techniques for a while now. Ranma, show him that new one you've been practicing."

Ranma smiled and moved the bokken and ball in front of Genma, balanced in one hand at arm's length. Ranma let out a relaxing breath and with one sudden movement, Ranma's sword arm was straight up above his head,  
the Ping-Pong ball fell cut neatly in two.

Nodoka applauded. Genma nodded his approval. "A very neat trick, but how is it useful in a fight?"

"Well, I'm still working on it." Ranma said sheepishly. "But a sudden,  
seemingly unprepared strike would come in handy somewhere, right?"

"He based it off the 'six inch punch' he saw in the Bruce Lee documentary." Nodoka said proudly.

"How about sparring with your old man, eh? Let's see what you can do?"

"Sorry, Pop. Only a light workout, tonight. I have to be ready for my date."

"Oh, you're taking Akane out? That's good, son. I'm proud of you."

Ranma bit back his first remark. "N-not really, Pop." He spared a glance at his mother, "Hey, I'd better start getting ready. Don't want to be late." He left rather quickly.

Genma turned to Nodoka. "He's not going out with Akane? Who's he going out with?"

"Just another girl from school."

"I forbid it!" Genma exploded. "Nodoka, we have to stop the boy."

"Why?"

"'Why'!? Because he already has a fianc e, that's 'why'!"

"Ranma is capable enough to handle several girlfriends as well as a fianc e. Last I heard, over half the girls at school wanted a date with him. You should be proud that he is so manly."

Genma sighed and grit his teeth. He had forgotten his wife's concept of a true man. He worried for the future. "Dear." he tried again. "I am not talking about a girlfriend, I'm talking about a fianc e. Akane has a little higher priority than some girl he met at school. What would happen if Ranma fell in love with this girl? What would happen then, hmm?"

"Well, that girl would have to become his mistress, of course." she said matter-of-factly. Genma facefaulted. "Why has this got you so upset?"

Genma picked himself up off the floor. "Dear." Genma composed himself, "I realize Ranma doesn't exactly approve of our choice of fianc e for him. We don't need anything distracting him from getting married."

"Ranma will go through with it. He knows his duty."

"That's not the point!" Having reached the limit of his patience,  
Genma stormed out of the dojo. He didn't like the direction that argument was going or what it might say about his own marriage. It was something he just didn't want to know.

He found Akane watching TV in the living room. "Ah, there you are,  
Akane. Hurry up and get ready, you're going on a date."

"What? I am? With who?"

"Don't argue with me, girl!" Genma snapped. "Just do it."

"Sheesh, what bug crawled up his butt?" Akane said as Genma stormed off to find Ranma.

Genma looked in the boy's room, but couldn't find him. He went to the bath as he opened the door to the furo. A splash of cold water hit him in the face.

"Oops, sorry Pop. I didn't know you needed the bath." Ranma said.  
"I'll just get out of your way."

"Grawr! Mur-graaw!" Genma-panda said, trying to get his son's attention, but Ranma was already gone. He was about to step into the furo only to find it drained. He reached for the hot water tap but it had been removed. He went out to find his son again or would if he could get his bulk through the door which was jammed to open only halfway.

Ranma ran over to Nabiki's room as soon as he was out of the bathroom and knocked on the door. Nabiki looked at Ranma who was still holding a towel around his waist, only taking the briefest glance at his chest in appreciation. He was only her little brother, after all.

"Hey, Nabiki. Pop's stuck in his panda form and could really use some hot water. Interested?" He held up the handle to the hot water tap significantly.

Nabiki smiled and took the handle from him, "Thank you, Ranma."

"Good. You have to run interference for me. Just delay him for a few minutes."

Ranma made it to his room and dressed as quick as he could. Dress pants, white shirt, tie, and vest, a quick comb through his hair and he was ready, now all he had to do was leave before his father could stop him, or worse. Yes, there was definitely worse. He opened the door to his room only to find said furry father holding a sign that read, [What do you think you're doing, son?]

"Sorry. No time to talk, you know how women are if you don't show up on time." He shoved his way past his father and hurried down the hall,  
Genma raised the sign to bash his son on head but thought better of it,  
having only recently been reunited, he didn't want to alienate the son he never knew. Genma followed him down the hall frantically waving a sign, [I'm trying to talk to you!], to get his son's attention and really was about to clobber him with it until Nabiki stepped in his way.

"Uncle Saotome, looks like you could use a little help..."

Ranma slid down the banister, raced to the front door, and nearly received a fist in the face as he stepped out.

"Kuno." He never could say it without unclenching his teeth.

"'Upperclassman'." The taller boy corrected for what he felt was the millionth time. "I did not come to seek you out. Rather I come bearing gifts for the beauteous long-lost sister Akane Tendo who is as fair as the evening twilight in autumn's..."

"All right already. Geez." Ranma noted the flowers Kuno held and smiled as another thought crossed his mind. "Hey, Akane. Are you ready to go yet?" he called back into the house.

Akane appeared around the corner. "Ya' didn't need to shout, I'm right here. Oh, Upperclassman Kuno. What are you doing here?"

"Heh. You two kids have fun." Ranma walked past Kuno who seemed to be at a loss for words staring at Akane. She was dressed in a blue Chinese shirt and black slacks, but still no make-up. True, she wasn't dressed for a date, but he wasn't about to correct her. Ranma leaned back at the last moment and plucked a single rose out the bouquet then raced off, Kuno still not noticing.

Akane, however, was not impressed. "So, you're my date, huh? Listen,  
I thought I told you I wasn't interested."

"These are for you." Tatewaki held the bouquet out. "You would do me a great honor to accompany me this evening that I might clear up a misunderstanding and a most fortunate mistake. The knowledge of these events are not clear to my person, but for your own perspective, I might rectify this oversight."

Kuno continued to talk, but at this point, Akane had stopped listening.  
She was staring at the bouquet of roses. She couldn't seem to take her eyes off them, her heart started beating hard in her chest. No one ever offered her roses. They were just a bunch of smelly flowers. Why was she getting so worked up over them? Slowly she took the bouquet with a smile. "...Thank you."

"So, you will accompany me, then?" Kuno finished.

Akane glanced back at the house. "I... Well, I..." She looked at the flowers again. "I guess so. It's kinda elaborate for an apology,  
though. Plus it seems kinda weird that the old man would want me to go out with you." Kuno, wisely, didn't question it, only led her away from the house.

By the time Genma, now in human form, hurried into the street, neither child was in site. *Damn. Missed 'em. Ranma did yell to make sure Akane was ready to leave with him. Maybe he listened to his old man after all.* He walked back into the house, pleased with himself that he had some influence over his son.

The girl looked at Ranma as he approached, appreciating his smart attire. "Well, how were you able to get out of the house this time?"

"Do you think I had to lie to my parents?" The girl only gave him a knowing look. "I didn't. I really did tell them I was going on a date. I just didn't mention with who."

"These little trysts are becoming tiresome, Ranma. When are we going to be open about our relationship?"

"Kodachi, you know what my mom would say. Besides, it is more fun this way. Always the danger of being caught. Knowing something few other people know. Being on edge just knowing this might be the last time."

"Don't even mention something like that, darling." She said with a pout, but her body stiffened, betraying a deeper fear... or was it anger? "I don't..."

"Hey, now." Ranma stopped her. "Don't start getting all serious on me,  
okay? I came out here to have fun. This week has been entirely too weird and I need some fun."

"Why, darling? Did something significant happen?"

"Don't worry about it right now. Tonight is ours. C'mon." He started dragging her to a nightclub.

Akane and Kuno were in a posh restaurant, Kuno sipping his wine,  
waiting for another order of calamari. Akane had allowed Kuno to order for her, but still didn't know what 'escargot' was. As they waited Akane related some of her travels to Tatewaki, who listened politely,  
trying to ignore how she ate a breadstick and still continued to talk despite not having swallowed.

"So, you're life as a gypsy is over now that you're home again." Kuno said as their food arrived. "Do you find it difficult being..."

"There's snails on my plate!" Akane said, standing up suddenly.

Kuno only looked confused. "Yes. It's a delicacy. Please, try it."

Akane laughed. "You're wacked! It looks disgusting."

"Please don't make a scene, Akane. Do you think a place like this would ever serve something that wasn't the best?" The girl didn't look convinced. "And aside from that, this is an apology dinner. Would I ever order you something that put me on you're bad side again?"

Akane sat down and slowly picked up one of the snails and studied it,  
"I didn't mean to be rude. I mean, I ate grubs and worms before as part of survival training." She slammed the snail into the table and broke the shell open, then proceeded to pick the fragments out of the meat. "Doesn't mean I liked it." She popped it into her mouth, "Hmm,  
not bad for a slug. They don't expect you to eat the shells too, do they?" She placed a second snail on the table and raised her fist above it.

Kuno nearly leapt over the table in an effort to stop her from beating on her defenseless meal. "No, no, Akane, please. Look, use the smallest fork, stick it into the meat and pop it out."

"Oh." Akane said, embarrassed. She felt way out of her element sitting in this restaurant. She fumbled with the fork, trying to get the meat out. She knew some of the people were staring at her. One woman in an elegant evening gown in particular was glancing at her, whispering to her companion. Looking at her dress made Akane consciously aware of her normal black slacks and faded blue silk shirt. She felt her anger growing to cover her embarrassment. "Stuck up, fancy pants..."

"Hmm?" Kuno looked at the girl as she glowered at the other table.  
"Akane, please."

"What's up with you, Kuno? You always struck me as more talkative than this."

Kuno took a moment before answering. "It would be a shame to disturb the ambiance of this establishment with an overabundance of idle chatter."

"Oh." Akane picked up a fresh snail to try again when she noticed the woman still staring at her. She quickly held the snail to her lips and sucked the meat out of the shell with a loud pop. The lady quickly looked away, disgusted, as Akane smiled broadly as she chewed.

Kuno raised his hand, "Check, please."

The nightclub had been a good way to forget everything that had happened to him. Loosing himself to the beat of the music with a beautiful girl on his arm was just what he needed. Now, he was alone with his thoughts, or nearly alone. Nestled against his side, soft flesh moved contentedly. He held her absently as he stared at the ceiling of the Love Hotel where he had purchased a room by the hour.  
He was not thinking of the woman who lay beside him, instead thought about home and family and duty.

"Ranma-sama."

He absently kissed the forehead that lay on his shoulder hoping she would lie still a while longer. He knew it wouldn't do any good,  
though; no matter how much time he took, no answers were coming to him.

"My Darling, what is wrong? You seem distracted just now."

"What do you think about when we are lying here together like this?"  
Ranma asked after a pause.

The girl sighed. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yes, nothing. Now is the only thing that matters, darling. No memories of the past or plans for the future could ever hold a candle to the fire that warms us right now, and nothing exists beyond these four walls that would effect us here." She stroked a hand along his bare hip. "Not while I am here with you."

Ranma sucked in his breath trying to stay focused. "What would you do if something were to try to come between us?"

"Fight for you, of course. Why? Does your mother suspect..?"

Ranma laughed, "Mom encourages me to go out on dates..."

"Yes," the girl said sourly, "as many dates with as many girls as would suit your fancy so that none may truly capture your heart." She raised herself up to face him. "And that is why your mother hates me so,  
because it is precisely what I have done."

"Are you sure of that, Kodachi?" he asked with an arch to his voice.

"I would prove it to you as many times as need be just to make you mine forever." She lowered her lips to his, pressing her bare flesh to the full length of his body once again.

"Kuno..?" Akane began.

"Please, call me Tatewaki." he interrupted. Kuno had been remaining mostly quiet throughout the evening. It had been a disaster. This Akane was nothing like what he had pictured Ranma's chosen bride to be like. He had met Mrs. Saotome on several occasions and found her a traditional Japanese woman of high caliber, despite how her son had turned out. Though Akane was not without her charm, she was not, in any respect, traditional. Even as the night continued, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. Her naivete concerning anything remotely feminine was refreshing, even to the way she walked. Her confident swagger was more reminiscent of a man except for the grace that marked her as a martial artist. She was firm in her convictions not taking the barest slight from anyone, much like her sister, Nabiki, yet more on a physical level. To tame such a wild spirit and coax out the femininity that lay hidden behind deep within, much like the rarest orchid, would be the accomplishment of a real man, and that cad Saotome, his masculinity obviously threatened, hadn't even bothered to rise to the challenge. As they walked he reaffirmed his vow to woo the air Akane and thereby strike a blow to the wretched Ranma.

"Tatewaki, then. Um... Why are we going to the park?" Akane asked.

"I was hoping to find someplace that we may converse in private..."

"No way. I don't 'converse' like that, OK?" she said as she pulled away from him.

"Hmm?" Kuno looked around him, seeing several couples standing as close as possible in the deepest shadows. "Oh. No, truly, fair Akane,  
I would only talk with you, nothing more."

"Then can we keep walking? This place makes me nervous."

He moved a step closer, "Does it, now?" he asked, archly.

She grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Y'know, I'm going to leave your hentai ass here."

"Akane, wait. Please. I apologize; it was a jest in poor taste and bad timing. I beg you, walk with me."

Akane looked at him and saw the same look was in his eyes as when she had pulled him from the pool that she had kicked him into. In a small way she felt almost guilty that Kuno believed her male side had almost killed him. It couldn't hurt to stay out just a little longer.  
Crossing her arms in front of her, she kept the pace beside him.  
Besides, if he tried anything, she knew she could take him out.

"Thank you, Akane. Your grace doth equal your beauty in allowing my humble person to bask in you presence..." Akane tuned him out at this point, worried that his monologue would lull her into some sort of trance. She tried to tactfully steer them back toward home. As his voice continued to buzz in her ear, she began to wonder if it wasn't worse than just killing him.

Ranma and Kodachi finally broke the kiss as she leaned into him with a sigh. Standing in front of the Kuno mansion, she pulled him tighter as she remembered how distant he had seemed.

"I am so happy you are here, Ranma-sama. I remember when I first saw you at the cemetery... to be honest, I didn't think too much of you then. Since that time, you have become my strength, my pillar, my very reason to carry on." She felt Ranma shift in her embrace. "If you were not here, I don't know what would happen to me. I fear it."

"Hey, don't talk like that." He tilted her head back to look into her eyes. "Listen to me. You are strong. You must believe that. Even if I were never here, or if I left today, you would be fine because you have the will and the intelligence... the beauty." She blushed as she looked away. "You must believe in yourself, Ko-chan. I do."

"I love you, Ranma-sama."

Ranma leaned in and kissed her and she returned it with passion. He broke and turned away as she stepped through the gate. She leaned against the gate as the date played over again in her mind with a smile and a sigh.

She turned and kicked the gate with an exasperated shriek. "He did it again. Curse you, my darling. They say actions may speak louder than words, but sometimes a maiden must hear the words. If not for your meddlesome mother, I would be free to use the less gentle means at my disposal. 'Test my mettle as a woman,' indeed. But mark my words,  
someday soon I will make you admit your heart and you will finally tell the entire world that you love me and only me. I swear it!" She stalked into the mansion, her smile betrayed the fury she tried to portray.

*God, doesn't this guy ever get tired of listening to himself?* Akane thought as Kuno continued to ramble on about her eyes and forestry.  
"Kuno will you shut up already. Geez. Do you hafta keep going on and on about things that don't make any sense?"

Kuno looked startled, "I have offended you in some way. I only wished to compliment your beauty in every aspect."

Akane rolled her eyes, "What for?"

"It appears I was wrong in my assumption. To be graced with poetic flattery would certainly be the one true path to any maiden's heart.  
Truly you are none."

Akane stopped walking, "What does that mean?!"

"Akane, I would very much like to get to know you. You are not what I envisioned the doting Mrs. Saotome would choose as a bride for her son.  
Who are you that you would hold such a dubious honor?"

"You JERK! This is what you asked me out for, to get back at Ranma by dating me? God this is so stupid." She turned and walked off.

Kuno got up to cut her off. "Akan...mfrph!" A fist planted in his face cut him off.

"I told you before, I am not going to be some prize in your little games with Ranma!" she yelled.

"Akane wait. I can explain this. It is all a misunderstanding."

"Oh, really? OK." She said crossing her arms. "Explain."

"I can understand your distress at being engaged to a cad such as Saotome, but to suspect that I would be attracted to you by any other means than your own merits is simply laughable. When I say you are unlike any other girl, I mean that your charms are unique and likeable,  
a rare flower among carbon copy pretenders."

"Can you even smell the shit you're shoveling? I'm otta here." She turned to leave.

"No. I cannot allow you to leave unescorted."

"Try and stop me." She heard footsteps rush toward her from behind,  
she spun around quick enough to make Kuno stop in his tracks. "Last warning, Dip-shit. You leave me THE HELL ALONE!" This last part was spoken in a male voice as a stream of water hit her in the back of the head causing the transformation. He turned around to find where the water had come from but could see nothing in the darkness of the park.

Kuno stared at the tall man who stood where Akane had just been.

"You!" said Kuno when he regained his voice. "It was you all along.  
You would kill me to take my place as the most loved of Furinkan High School. An incubus hiding beneath our very eyes. I heard the voices of the girls all talking about the golden hared delinquent that sulks about the school. You plan to take them over, just as you've taken over the body of Akane Tendo."

Akane stared, wondering where this conversation had gone totally wrong.

"I should have seen it from the start. No true woman could possibly act so unfeminine as Akane Tendo. From her tomboyish antics to even cursing like a man." He drew his bokken from his sleeve. "Curse you,  
evil incubus. I see my purpose clearly. I shall drive you out of Akane Tendo and restore her to her proper femininity..."

Akane-kun's fist sent Kuno sailing in a graceful arc into the fountain.  
Kuno stood and spit out some water and looked up just in time to see a blond hared freight train slam into him, sending them both crashing through the fountain sculpture. This time, Kuno was out cold. Akane let him drop to the cement. "Maybe I'm not that feminine, but I'm definitely more of a man than you."

Nabiki left the park quickly, disposing the water gun she carried along the way. Things had not gone exactly as planned. For as long as she had known Kuno, the pompous jerk had had a grudge against Ranma. She hoped that by displaying the curse, Kuno would lose interest and Akane wouldn't have to put up with being a prize in a contest. Now, she had turned Kuno into Akane's enemy. She had severely underestimated Kuno's inability to handle an abnormal situation.

She slowed her pace as she continued to walk, thinking about her sister-turned-brother and about Ranma. Was it really fair to try and get them together? Ranma was completely against it, which was obvious.  
Akane, though, was a mystery. She had known her sister less than a week, but from what she had seen tonight, it would be difficult for her to relate to boys. This made Ranma the obvious choice since the family obligation was there, besides, he needed to finally settle down before he screwed his life up completely. But, of course, he was against it, a vicious circle that ended with one unhappy and alienated little sister.

This was going to take more thought. ...A lot more.

Ranma waited just outside the gates of the Tendo Dojo. His parents and Uncle Soun were still on the verandah, which meant Akane wasn't back yet. His timing was perfect. He would just sit here and wait for Akane to show up and walk in with her, if Kuno could stop talking sometime before dawn. That way his Dad wouldn't be on his case about not taking Akane out.

To him, they were all being very unreasonable about the whole thing.  
How could they expect him to just give up everything for a fianc e that wasn't even a girl. The fianc e thing wasn't anything new to him. It had even gotten around school that he had some mysterious, long-lost fianc e arranged by his parents, but that had never stopped him from dating. He knew his Mom was encouraging him to continue dating, but to be sure it never got serious, and he didn't. It was all in mutual fun.  
Besides, he always used protection. Some girls were just too serious.

...Like Kodachi. In spite of it all, he just couldn't give her up.  
Despite what he had told her he knew she needed him in a way that went beyond dating. But breaking it off had proven to be worse for her.  
She had gone over the edge, ambushing his dates, accosting his mother,  
and being generally self-destructive. He knew she was unstable enough without having to go though an actual breakup. He knew she needed help and tried to build her confidence and independence, but it hadn't worked. She appeared strong on the outside, captain of her school's gymnastics club, respected student, but inside she was still that same girl he first saw in the cemetery all those years ago, afraid and desperately lonely.

"Penny for your thoughts, Ranma."

"Nabiki?" He was startled. Even now, she could still sneak up on him.  
"Keep your voice down, will ya? What are you doing out here?"

"Just checking on a few things." She said evasively. "Ranma, what do you think about Akane?"

"I try not to think about Akane."

"Seriously, Ranma," she said, getting a little miffed, "have you ever considered what it would be like for her to keep changing genders like that?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, if it were me, it'd suck. But who knows? For a tomboy like her it might be a step in the right direction."

"Ten Thousand Yen."

"What for?!"

"For not telling your dad your out here waiting for Akane and for being an insensitive, heartless JERK!" Ranma took a step back from the fuming Nabiki as she spun on her heel and stalked inside.

He didn't have time to think about what Nabiki had said as Akane came striding down the street. "Good. I'm glad your back at a reasonable hour, let's go." He also took note that Akane was in her male form.

Akane didn't seem to hear him as Ranma opened the gate for him and followed him inside.

They found their respective parents gathered in the family room. Genma didn't even bother with a greeting as they entered. "Well, how did your date go?"

"Great." Ranma replied immediately as Akane continued into the room.  
"Except for a water accident, it went pretty..."

Akane-kun picked up Genma by his gi. "If you ever set me up on a date like that again I'll sell you to the zoo!" He hurled Genma out into the pond for good measure. He turned and stomped his way up the stairs.

"...pretty good." Ranma finished. "Um, I think I'll turn in, too.  
It's getting late..."

"Ranma."

"Yes, Mother?"

"I'll expect you a half hour earlier for practice tomorrow morning,  
dear." She said, taking a sip of her tea, not looking up.

"Yes, Mother." He sighed as he went upstairs. *'Practice' she says; a polite word for 'punishment'.*

End chapter 2.

Man, that took a long time. I still can't rush things if I want it to be the best it can be. Blame the perfectionist in me. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out a little faster.

Anyway, comments, criticisms, and suggestions welcome.  
dbattley

Special thanks to T. H. Tiger, Mr. Bullet, and Fernando A. Pe a, for pre-reading and suggestions.  



	4. Chapter 4

Standard disclaimers apply. Adult language and situation warning, as well.

My deepest apologies for being unable to continue this series earlier. I invite you to re-read the earlier chapters at Wade Tritschler's Altered Destinies homepage at .

As for the very last chapter, Ranma and Akane go on a date with the respective Kuno siblings. In order to get out of the house, Ranma gets his father to believe he's actually taking Akane out. When they return, Nodoka promises a reasonable punishment for her son's lies.

Yet Another Scary Thought Chapter 3: Is Seeing Believing?

On an icy glacier a pair of travelers walked. Around these two was nothing but blue above them and the white beneath, and there was a lot of it. That was until a pair of eyes opened in the endless white regarding the travelers. It dismissed them as unimportant and sauntered off to tend to whatever business it had.

One of the travelers turned to the other, "Do Japan have giant white bear what live there?" The voice, obviously feminine, was broken with a thick accent.

Her companion stopped and looked around as if seeing the landscape for the first time then turned left and continued walking. The female traveler had little choice but to follow.

Ranma lay on the floor of the dojo, thankful that today was Sunday. He had already found out the hard way that being punished by his mother was not a good enough excuse for missing school. As he lay there gasping for air and waiting for strength to come back to his body, he thanked whatever spirits were present that it was finally over. "The practice of telling falsehoods is very unmanly. Lies especially have no place within a family. Respect your father enough to defy him outright at least." A painful lesson he now clearly understood.

Nabiki walked past the dojo seeing Ranma lying there on the floor. He tried to move but groaned as his body protested, and gave up. He would be there for at least an hour. Considering he blew off Akane to go out on another date then came home and lied about it, he got exactly what he deserved.

Nabiki found her younger sister in her room working on homework. "Hey, Akane, how's it going?"

"Oh, still playing catch up with all this...," Akane stopped, making a concious effort to keep from casually swearing, "...stuff. I am convinced Mr. Tanaka is a sadist."

"Any progress?"

"Some, but it's slow. ...Real slow." She turned away from her books, "So, what can I do for you? I doubt you came up here just to talk about homework."

"Well, no, but if you need any help, I'd be glad to give you a hand."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate it."

"I'd also like to ask you about your curse."

"But I already told you everything."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard the story and got the details, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you, what's it like, and how do you feel about it?"

"It sucks if that's what you're asking." Nabiki stayed quiet, looking expectant, making Akane feel as though she should continue. "What's there to like? I feel like I lost something vital, but I can't figure out what. Besides have you ever woken up with morning wood? Not a pretty picture." Nabiki coughed and looked away. Akane blushed, knowing she had gotten a bit too crude in her speech. "Maybe I wasn't the most feminine girl in the world," she said quietly, "but at least I knew I was a girl."

Nabiki's heart went out to her sister. What she needed was something or someone that could make her feel more feminine, and there was easily one guy that could do it. "What about Ranma?"

"What about Ranma?"

"You know, this whole fianc e thing. What do you think about it?"

"It's stupid!" Akane automatically snapped. "It's like they have my whole life mapped out for me, like all my plans and ideas don't mean squat. I've learned martial arts my entire life, now they want me to just settle down and shoot out an heir for the dojo. What the hell did I train for if I'm never going to use it?"

"To teach, most likely."

"Yeah, yeah. And I will, someday. But for now, I have my own plans."

"Your right. Getting married at your age is a bit serious. What about a boyfriend then?"

Akane hesitated before answering. "You sound just like all those girls at school. Having a boyfriend isn't that important, y'know. I-I mean it's nothing to get worked up about."

Nabiki had not gotten to be where she is without being able to read people. The fact she had looked Nabiki directly in the eye when she talked about her plans, but studied the floor when the subject of boyfriends came up told her a lot.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend, Akane?"

Akane nodded, "Twice. No, once. The first one doesn't really count because we were really too young."

"What happened to the second one?"

"He had all this big talk about traveling together and visiting all the remote spots of Japan, but when it came down to it, that assho-ah, um, sorry, the jerk stood me up."

"Yikes. Did he ever explain why?"

"I never saw him again. Just as well, I wasn't ready to listen to him, anyway."

Nabiki thought about this as she helped her sister with her homework. Rejected by her first real boyfriend, thrown into Nanichuan, and Ranma acting like a jerk had to be eroding at Akane's self image. The first two she couldn't do much about, but the last was definitely something she could handle.

Nabiki made sure Akane was out in the dojo practicing before approaching Ranma. Her adopted little brother was, once again, laying waste to an army that seemed only to put up a token resistance to inevitable slaughter.

"Come on, Uncle Soun. I wonder if you're even trying anymore."

"I'm thinking." Soun growled as he studied the shogi board with sweat on his brow. He knew the boy had him outclassed and could easily devise a strategy and watch for any sign of cheating, err... special maneuvers, at the same time. Knowing it was hopeless didn't stop him from doggedly trying to win back the title as house champion, however.

Nabiki stepped over to her father. "Do you mind if I give it a try, Daddy?"

"Oh, Nabiki. Sure. Absolutely." Soun eagerly gave up his seat to his daughter. "Ranma, we'll call it a draw." He said and left quickly.

"Of course, Uncle Soun." Ranma said with a laugh.

Nabiki took her father's place and set the pieces to start the game. After a few opening moves, she asked, "Well?"

"'Well', what?"

"When are you going to ask Akane out?"

He looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "I'm not asking Akane out." He said finally.

Nabiki placed the next piece. "And why not?"

"Because, I am not the type to lead a girl on when nothing is going to come of it." Nabiki snorted a laugh to the contrary. "I'm not." He said indignantly. "When have I ever lied to a girl?"

Nabiki paused a moment. "OK, you never did. But that never stopped you from having your way with them."

"And they had their way with me in return. You know I always tell them up front that I can't get serious about them. Can I help it if they chose not to believe what I say?"

"That is a flimsy argument at best, Ranma. When are you going to settle down to one woman and quit whoring yourself out like that?"

The game of shogi continued to be played, a piece being moved with every sentence spoken. This part was actually an old argument that kept reoccurring between the two. The usual response from Ranma would have been, 'When your sister comes home to be my fianc e.' Now Ranma was at a loss and the game was paused as he thought of a new response. Finally, he placed his piece switching to a more aggressive mode of play.

"Why are you so intent on getting us together? Isn't it bad enough that we have our parents breathing down our necks?"

"'_Our_ necks'? My, such concern for your fianc e."

"Hey, I'm not completely insensitive, you know. Just because I don't want to marry her doesn't mean I wish death on her or anything. And don't avoid the question. I can understand why our parents are so hot about this, but why you, Nabiki?"

"Did you ever think I just want what's best for you, Ranma? And don't give me that look, you know I care about you and what you do."

Ranma put down a piece in an obvious sacrifice position. "All right. I'll bite. What makes your muscle-bound, tomboy, half-man sister the best wife for me?"

"This isn't just about you, you know." She said ignoring the sacrifice.

"Oh, I know. She should have someone who can love and appreciate her, as a good husband should. I just don't think I can do that."

"You haven't even tried."

"You haven't answered the question." He said, removing one of Nabiki's pieces from the board.

"All right, I admit it. I'm thinking more of her than I am of you, but try looking at it from her point of view. Her curse is going to get in the way of any relationship she gets into unless she starts dating a real... ahem... someone who is in to that kind of thing, which I'm sure she wouldn't be attracted to in the first place."

"You never know, she might like it." He delayed playing his next move, knowing it would erk his adopted sister, and allowing him to continue, "So, by helping your sister along the path set by our parents, she gets a good relationship with an established fianc e and your little brother finally stops 'whoring around' and settles down to do the happily ever after thing, right?"

"Something like that, yeah." Nabiki said with a slight growl in her voice.

Ranma's piece hovered over another sacrifice position, but he thought better of it and moved it to a feint. "Why don't you marry me, Nabiki? We could satisfy family honor, leaving Akane free to not be married to an 'asshole like me'."

Nabiki calmed herself and considered the change in strategy, blushing slightly, "It would be too much like incest. No offence or anything."

"None taken. You're right, though. Far better to be incestuous with your sister than with you. We gotta keep it in the family after all." Ranma put as much of a country accent on the last sentence as he could.

"You know what I mean." Nabiki snapped. "Besides, it wouldn't really be like incest with her."

"...But it would with you." He finished. He looked her over, being very obvious that he was checking her out. She started to shift uncomfortably under is gaze, keeping her face a mask with conscious effort. "It wouldn't be all that bad, you know..."

"Yes, it would." She said hotly, "Look, how did we get on to this subject anyway?"

"But that's what it comes down to, isn't it? To produce an heir for the dojo and the schools, right?" He was about to remove an opposing piece from the board, but hesitated, "This could get really vulgar, you know, about using sons and sisters as breeding stock. Just throw 'em into a room and let them hump each other like cattle." Nabiki met his gaze, not bothering to conceal the anger behind them. Ranma finally moved away from Nabiki's piece and place his own in a neutral position. "But this isn't about that. I know enough about honor that I would have gone through with it, if things were just a little different."

"So things aren't perfect, you can't expect them to be. That's impractical."

"True. I said before that if she were ugly, I would have gone through with it. I didn't lie. But she's unfeminine, and that's not so bad either, if she's willing to change a bit." Nabiki shot him a dangerous look, but he smiled back, "I know that sounded bad, but I also know I would have to make a few compromises in return, so you can stop glaring at me already."

"It can't be about being a martial artist, after all, you learn from your Mom. That only leaves the curse."

Ranma nodded in affirmation, "Turning into a guy weirds me out on so many levels it's hard to explain."

Nabiki removed one of Ranma's pieces, "Try."

"Imagine coming home and your Dad says, 'Oh, Ranma, your long lost fianc e is here and she turns into a man, so you know all those silly quirks and hang-ups you had about being homosexual? Well toss them out the window, son, because they're only going to get in the way. Now be a good 'man among men' and have a great wedding night.'"

"Quit exaggerating."

"I'm not. Try to imagine it if the tables were reversed. What if I were the fianc you were expected to wait for since you were little and I showed up with the curse to not just turn into a girl, but a drop dead gorgeous woman. Tell me you wouldn't think twice about marrying a man who could look prettier and be more feminine than you."

In a moment's hesitation, Nabiki considered what Ranma had said and all that it implied, and finally responded, "All right, I see your point. But there is one thing you are overlooking." She moved a piece to a neutral position.

Ranma removed that piece from the table. "Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"If there is ever a woman in trouble, you are there to help her. You love playing the knight in shining armor because it boosts both your honor and your ego. Well, guess what, Galahad? There is a girl under this very roof with a curse and you are doing nothing to help her." Nabiki moved another piece, "You are not a hypocrite, Ramna. I know that about you."

"Akane hardly seem the damsel in distress type." Ranma was in trouble, one move put two pieces in jeopardy and he could only save one of them.

"Neither is your Mom but you still wouldn't hesitate to help her."

"It's not the same thing."

"Of course not. Akane is only your fianc e, after all."

"That's not the point." He was helpless as one of his pieces left the board.

"Yes, it is. By family honor she's your fianc e, she's in trouble and you haven't done a damn thing to help her. Even just making her feel welcome and at home and that her curse really doesn't matter to us. We're family after all." Another of Ranma's pieces left the board.

"I am not going to be engaged to a guy, even a part time guy. Besides, what are you doing to help her?"

"I've been making a few contacts trying to get a handle on this Jusenkyo thing and magic in general. Your friend is spooked by her, you know."

"Who, Gos?" Nabiki nodded. "I wouldn't doubt it. He's been avoiding black magic ever since I pulled him out of it. Curses just aren't his thing anymore. At least he sleeps better."

"He's still the leading local authority next to Mio. I'd still rather have two people working on this than one."

"I'll talk to him for you if you want."

"It's a good start, but you could do something yourself."

Ranma sighed, "You're not going to let go of this are you?"

Nabiki smiled and shook her head. "You still owe me, remember?"

Ranma studied the board for a few minutes. Finally he said, "Listen, I can offer to be her friend, but that's it." He said firmly as he captured another of Nabiki's pieces, "And, you have to stop trying to get the two of us together." To tell the truth, he feared Nabiki much more than his parents when it came to scheming and matchmaking, with good reason.

"You keep up your end of it and I won't have to." So saying, she moved to a free spot stood up and left.

Ranma studied the board for a while, but it couldn't be denied. No matter what he could have done, he would have lost in less than seven moves. Oh, yes, he definitely had reason to fear Nabiki.

Nabiki knew Ranma's best strategy was to wait for the situation to change and as it stood, he could afford to do exactly that. One thing Nabiki thought really needed a change was Ranma's attitude toward Akane. He needed to see another side of her and maybe, just maybe, get taken down a peg or two. An idea began to form, one that would cost her, but, as always, family was more important than money.

Today was a good day.

Ranma charged the school gate. He was going to break his time record today. He muscles were relaxed, he felt alert and alive. He drew his bokken from behind his back and smiled. Today was his day to excel! With a mighty yell, he leapt into the schoolyard and waited for the boys to attack.

... And waited.

The boys in athletic gear, sat around the sidelines doing nothing. A few waved to Ranma and Akane, others continued their game of 'rock-  
paper-scissors'. Nabiki was pacing at the school entrance. Ranma was starting to feel foolish, holding his dramatic pose as the boys just sat there.

"Guys?" He relaxed a bit, "What are you doing?"

"Kuno never showed." one said.

"So?"

"So, since he didn't pay us, why bother?"

"Yeah, I'm not getting kicked in the head without getting paid for it."

"Oh." Said Ranma, disappointed. He turned back, "Wait a minute. You mean you guys have been taking a fall?"

There was a murmur of agreement among the boys. "Yeah, of course."

"So these fights weren't real?"

Again, a murmur of agreement, "We thought you knew."

"None of you guys were trying for Nabiki's prize?"

"Nabiki told us not to." they answered. "Instead of just one of us getting one big prize, everyone gets paid something everyday. This way everyone wins." "As long as Kuno is handing out free money, why end it by actually fighting?" "Yeah, I've almost got my debts paid off, thanks to you. I owe you big time."

Ranma stood there looking shocked, visibly deflated. Nabiki who had been pacing and fuming just out of earshot finally stalked over to the group. "Where is he?" she practically shouted.

"No one knows."

Ranma loomed over her. "I need to talk to you later, Nabiki." he said in a tight voice before stalking inside.

"Who told him?" she accused the current group.

"It was a secret?"

Nabiki threw up her hands and headed into the school.

Akane, who'd been following along quietly followed after her sister. "You mean Ranma never knew those guys weren't fighting for real?"

Nabiki looked over. "You could tell?"

"Well, yeah. But why didn't you tell him?"

"Ranma has the acting ability of a rock, plus his precious honor won't let him fight for profit, not even Kuno. There was no way he could have pulled off those fights if he didn't believe they were real. I'm surprised it took him this long to find out. As long as Kuno believed it, there would be free money."

"Ranma looked pretty mad."

"I'll deal with that later. We've got to get to class." Nabiki pushed Akane toward the school and followed, not before turning and giving the thumbs up to the guys in the yard behind her.

All through the morning, Ranma sulked. Akane watched him pretending to pay attention during class, but it was obvious his focus was not there. She shook her head, *Why should I be worried about that womanizer anyway. Let someone else take care of him, I have my own problems. Stupid, macho, egotisti...* "What? Answer? Sorry, Sensei, what was the question?" *Damn you, Ranma.*

Akane was with her friends again, at lunch. Their small talk was, once again, boring her to tears.

"Akane Tendo?"

She looked up from her lunch to see three of Ranma's gang walk up to her. "What's up?"

Gosunkugi stepped forward, "Akane Tendo? We... um... we were wondering if you would, please, talk to Ranma for us." He was obviously nervous, not releasing his grip from the crystal he wore around his neck.

"Talk to him about what?" The girls gathered around Akane started looking at her with new interest.

"Well," Daiske continued, "we thought that since you live with him, you might be able to get him to open up about what's bothering him."

"Why not ask Nabiki? She's lived with him longer than I have."

"We couldn't afford it." Hiroshi admitted.

"This kindness would mean a great deal to us, Akane Tendo. Please." Gosunkugi was bowing to her.

"All right, all right. 'S'cuse me, girls." Akane got up.

The girls in the immediate vicinity immediately descended on the male trio. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "How could you single out one girl to help Ranma?" "What about me, you jerks?!"

Akane never heard the sounds of pain as she went to search for Ranma.

She found Ranma up on the roof, slowly picking at his lunch. She walked straight up to him.

"So they took a dive to fleece Kuno of some money, big deal. From what Nabiki says it happens all the time. Besides you can't blame them, they don't understand what the art is about. Why are you sulking like you're the victim?"

Ranma never looked up. "What the hell do you care?"

"I don't, but everyone else is worried about you, God only knows why." She waited for a response, but didn't get one. "Look, your acting like a baby. I don't know what your problem is, but at least be a man about it."

Ranma barked out a laugh. "That's easy for you to say, tomboy."

"What the hell does that mean!?"

"It means you know exactly what being a man is like, you muscle-headed macho-chick. You seem to have no problem being a man because you always were one even before you got cursed..."

Akane's fist slammed into his face sending him across the roof. He stood up slowly, checking his jaw, "Is that the best you can do, tomboy?"

"You've had this coming from the beginning, Saotome."

She charged him coming in with a flying kick, which Ranma easily ducked. She changed her direction, dropping an elbow, Ranma rolled away from her. Akane charged again with a quick combination, her third jab catching him in the jaw, which spun him around. Using the momentum, he dropped low, sweeping her feet from under her.

He stepped back, allowing her to get to her feet. She was angry, and sloppy, she knew it.

"You sure you don't want to change into a man first?"

"SHUT UP!" She feigned two punches and blasted a sidekick into Ranma's ribcage, sending him back into the fence, which bent dangerously under the impact.

Ranma had a good view of the five story drop that the fence now leaned over before he moved away from the edge of the roof, pulling a bokken from behind his back. "OK. Here we go." He was smiling. Akane's vision shifted to red. How dare he smile during a serious fight. She swore she would wipe that smile off his smug face or die trying.

She charged in, Ranma met her halfway, swinging fiercely. Akane was barely able to stop her charge in order to dodge. She caught the blade in a ninja clap, using it as leverage, she sent a powerful side kick. Ranma had to let go of the bokken with one hand in order to twist out of the way. He wrenched the wooden blade out of her grasp and caught her ankle with the tip of the bokken before it touched the ground, and spun it in a wide arc, flipping her into the air.

Akane twisted, landing on her feet, knees bent. She shot foreward, hitting Ranma with a shouderblock that sent him sprawling once again.

"Are we through?" she asked standing over him.

Ranma lay there, finally acknowledging the aches and bruises he had just recieved. "Yeah," he tucked the bokken behind his back. Three knockdowns were enough to decide a fight. "Yeah, we're through." He crossed his legs and just sat there.

Akane stood over him, "Idiot! What the hell were you trying to prove, anyway?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. I was just angry. Y'know, I thought I had the respect of everyone here. But it was just a sham. Just another way to get to the infamous Kuno fortune. What a joke."

"Your friends sent me up here, that must mean something, right?"

"Don't patronize me. They let me win. Every morning, they didn't even try to fight. There's no honor in that. They handed me the win, I didn't earn it."

"What about Kuno? You know he never gave up anything."

"He was not the challenge, he's an annoyance. To stand alone against overwhelming odds and still come out on top... Heh. I guess that only happens in anime."

Not that Akane would ever admit it, she did understand. If it were her in Ranma place, she would feel the exact same way. They sat for a few moments in silence.

"So, what are you going to do, now?" she asked.

"Go back to class. Looks like I missed lunch." He got up and walked to the stairwell, he never once looked at Akane.

She looked at him, however. Worry, was evident in her eyes. She needed a plan, but what?

Akane and Nabiki were in the living room talking when Nadoka came down the steps with a worried look on her face. "Akane, did anything happen today with Ranma?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Ranma shut himself in his room and is not coming out. He knows we have practice now."

"Maybe he's doing his homework."

"I also told him dinner would be ready soon, but he said he's not hungry. He is usually pretty open with me. Did something upset him at school?"

"Well, I'm going to study." Nabiki announced headed to her room.

Nadoka looked at Akane for an answer.

"Ranma being a baby because he thinks that he lost the respect of the other students."

"Why would he think that?"

"You know about Kuno paying the boys to attack him every morning?" Nadoka nodded. "Well, it seems the guys were taking a dive so they can keep getting money from Kuno. Ranma feels like he's the victim and he's acting like a spoiled child."

Nadoka sighed and shook her head, "Ranma is right. I can see why he's upset."

"You're kidding."

"Akane, a man's pride and ego are fragile things. This may be partly my fault. I've tried to raise his with honor and integrity, to be a man among men. Those boys were using his honor to make money. Plus, failing to fight doesn't further Ranma's training."

"So, what can we do?"

Nadoka smiled at the girl. "If you want to help, find some way to get Ranma's confidence back and to restore his faith in the students. But do it quickly. Ranma was never one for halfway measures."

"All right, tell me again why I'm here."

"Because, dear sister, this is partly your fault."

"Whatever Ranma thinks or does is no concern of mine."

"Even if his mother found out how it was your idea to use his honor to make money?" Nabiki opened her mouth to reply, but closed it just as quickly. Rule number twelve: Never cross Auntie in matters of honor. "I thought not."

"You owe me." Nabiki said.

Akane opened the door to the Kendo clubhouse.

"...So," Ranma was saying, "to determine the new captain of the Kendo club, anyone who can beat me in a direct challenge..."

"Wait a sec." Daiske interrupted. "Why do we need a new captain? We're undefeated. Why would we want to change?" A general murmur of agreement spread through group, most loudly voiced by the girls.

"You mean none of you are going to challenge me?" Ranma said in disbelief. There weren't any takers.

"Sorry to interrupt folks,"

"Akane?" Ranma turned.

"What your Captain is trying to say is that he feels he's hit a plateau in his training. He needs a proper challenge to improve himself."

"Yeah, but none of us want to be captain."

Nabiki took her cue. "All right then, let's put something else on the line. I will put one... favor... up for grabs, paid for by Ranma."

"What?" asked Ranma. An excited voice ran though the crowd.

"You can ask for anything." Nabiki continued. "Ranma and I will work together to make sure it happens."

The assembled group jumped as one, hastily making preparations. Ranma stalked over to the Tendo sisters.

"What the hell are you're doing?" He hissed. "Are you trying to get me killed?!"

"You were just complaining about not having a challenge," said Akane, "You should be happy."

"I am going to die," he hissed.

"You want to be the best, right? What are you willing to risk to be the best?"

Ranma looked at her as though she were crazy and was about to tell such but scenes of her flying over rocks and water with his father in their backyard came to his mind. Daily training where one could easily break a bone with one mistake.

"Hey, Captain. You ready for our date..." A hand quickly clamped over the girls mouth.

"She means our challenge, Captain. Challenge, of course. Are you ready?" The other girl amended quickly.

"Hey, Captain, is this for real?" One of the guys asked.

"What are you willing to risk?" Akane said again.

Ranma looked back to her, then to Nabiki. "Yeah," he called as he smiled, "Yeah, It's real. I'm ready." He turned to face row after row of armored teammates.

Nabiki edged a little closer to Akane, "Shouldn't he put on armor, too?" she asked with more than a little worry.

"Good Lord. What happened!?" Doctor Tofu examined the mass of mangled humanity in front of him.

Though his eye, cheek, and lips were swollen, Ranma gurgled out a small laugh, "Never... felt... better."

The doctor shot a questioning look at Akane who just shook her head, "Have you got some Excedrin, doctor? Ranma's got an ego this big..." she said holding her hands apart.

Dr. Tofu just smiled. "Hmph, I'd hate to see the other guy. Just relax, Ranma, you know the drill." he said as he grabbed a twisted limb and gave it a yank. Hearing the sickening wet pop, Akane decided it was best to wait out in the lobby.

"I'm still not sure why Doctor Tofu insisted you carry me home. I feel fine. Maybe I should walk."

"No way. Doctors orders. You should feel lucky, he said you will be back to old, obnoxious self tomorrow, but only if you have complete rest today."

"Man. It's embarrassing enough to have to be carried home, but at least you're a girl now."

"You want me to drop your womanizing ass right here?!"

"No, no. As long as I'm not too heavy, that's all."

They walked on a little further.

"Hey Akane,..."

"Now what?!"

"I just,... Thanks." he said softly. "For everything."

Akane sighed and softened a bit, *Isn't anything what it seems, anymore?* "You're welcome."

They turned in to the dojo, Ranma's mother was waiting at the front door, worry evident in her eyes. She seemed to let out a breath she'd been holding as soon as she saw them.

"Akane, if it isn't too much trouble could you carry him up to his room?"

"Of course, Auntie."

"I'm fine Mom, the Doctor said..."

"Doctor Tofu called and told me exactly what he said and 'no,' you are not getting out of bed until tomorrow. Understood?"

"Yes, Mom." He sighed, "I can't win."

"Don't worry about it." said Akane as they reached the stairs. "Tell you what, I'll even make dinner for you and bring it to your room. How does that sound?"

The clatter of a shogi board being overturned interrupted them as Genma rounded the corner dragging Soun along, in a headlock. "We're going drinking, dear, we'll be home late, don't wait up, bye."

They disappeared around the corner, Soun's voice fading in the distance, "Genma. That's my head. You're choking me. Let go..."

"What was that about?" Nadoka asked. "Well, Akane, Dear. If you want to help with dinner, we'd better get started."

"Right!" she bounded up the steps three at a time with Ranma on her back.

Ranma stared dubiously at the... uh... 'contents' of the bowl on the tray in front of him. The rice looked fine and you can't hurt pickles all that much, but this bowl really defied description. Akane had just placed it there and was sitting in the desk chair next to his bed, looking at him expectantly. He made an elaborate show of snapping the chopsticks.

"It... it does smell interesting."

"Doesn't it? There are so many ingredients in that kitchen I didn't know where to begin. You could make anything in there."

"And you certainly did. Well, here goes." He dipped his chopsticks into... He poked his... Stabbed the contents of the bowl and brought a piece to his mouth.

"Akane." Nadoka called from the hall. "Akane, where are you?"

"In here, Auntie." She was watching Ranma, who hadn't removed the chopsticks from his mouth. In fact, he wasn't moving at all.

"There you are." Nadoka said from the doorway. "I need you to run to the market for me before it closes. We need some things for breakfast."

"Um, well," she looked back at Ranma waiting for him to say something.

"Now, please." Nadoka insisted.

"Sure." Disappointed, she took the list from her Auntie and left.

Nadoka hurried over to Ranma, pried the chopsticks out of his mouth, then slapped the back of his head so he spit out whatever he was holding.

"Mom, that...!"

The older woman quickly clamped a hand over her son's mouth and looked back toward the door to make sure no one was there. "I know, Son, but this is partly my fault as well. At first she actually thought just rice and cabbage with mayonnaise would be a good enough meal. Unfortunately, I talked her out of it, and she got out of hand before I could stop her. You should have seen her enthusiasm, she did want this to turn out so. It appears that it's up to me to make sure you are not poisoned after your honeymoon. Apparently, your father's 'perfect bride' has never been in a kitchen."

"There's a lot about that 'bride' that bothers me."

"We'll get though it, Son." She picked up the tray. "Try not to worry so much."

Ranma quickly snagged the glass of water from the tray. "The taste kinda stays with you."

Nadoka gave her son a sympathetic look, which turned to a mischievous smile. As she walked into the hall, she said, "Maybe a panda can eat this." She was rewarded with the sound of Ranma spraying water through his nose.

...to be continued.

Man, 3 discarded scenes later, that took a lot longer than I ever anticipated. Thanks for being patient with me, the next one should come out sooner, I hope.

Thanks to Long Ngo for pre-reading.

Many thanks to T. H. Tiger for his suggestions and pre-reading.

Next: Ukyou is everybody's best friend. Right?  



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